


Noticing Adam

by foxy11814



Series: Noticing Adam series [1]
Category: He-Man and the Masters of the Universe
Genre: Brother-Sister Relationship, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Mother-Son Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-04
Updated: 2013-08-03
Packaged: 2017-11-13 12:40:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 55
Words: 196,096
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/503631
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/foxy11814/pseuds/foxy11814
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>King Randor and Queen Marlena are worried because they feel like their son is keeping something from them. When Prince Adam is away from the palace and once again defends Castle Grayskull from Skeletor, Adam unknowingly confirms his parents' worries!</p><p>NOTICE:  I noticed a good portion of Chapter 21 was missing. It's there now!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Duncan's Nightmare Comes to Pass

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first ever He-man fic, though I have wrote other fan fiction such as The X-Files, Smallville, and wrestling. (I have a lot of interests, lol.) I decided to write this because I'm always searching the web trying to find fics that actually focus on Adam and his "relationships" with the important people in his life. I'm not saying they're not out there, but they are rare. This story has a little bit of everything in it: romance, action, torture, humor, etc. Also, this fic focuses on the 80's version of the MOTU, but I might make slight changes here and there for literary purposes, but they'll be subtle, I think. I'll go ahead and admit that I don't know how this fic will turn out yet, so it'll be an adventure for all of us. I hope you enjoy it enough to respond and tell me to keep going. Thanks.
> 
> The above paragraph is the original notes for the fic. All I have to add is the following: this story was started years ago on Fanfiction.net and I just got back to it. I'm writing new chapters, but I also want to edit and publish the revised version here, so please be aware there are a LOT more chapters and they will be posted periodically. In other words, keep checking back! LOL

Noticing Adam

He loved days like this: the day was warm with a slight breeze blowing just enough to make it comfortable, and there wasn't a cloud in the sky to hint at a chance of rain. It was the perfect day to find a nice shady spot and just relax in the serenity Eternia had seemingly found. Prince Adam looked back at the palace walls of Eternos behind him, almost expecting to see Teela run out and get onto him for missing yet another combat lesson. Of course, it could always be worse. It could be Man-at-Arms running out to tell him Skeletor was attacking the Widgets' Castle again, or even the Sorceress using telepathy to tell him Skeletor found another possible way of taking over Castle Grayskull.

He shook his head at the palace, sighed, and turned back to look in front of him. Cringer was already ten feet in front of him walking towards the Evergreen Forest.

The prince immediately jogged after the large green and yellow tiger saying, "Wait, old buddy. Where are you running off to in such a hurry?"

Cringer stopped with almost pleading eyes. "I w-want to get away from here before Trap Jaw sh-sh-shows up and tries to shoot at us, or Evil Lyn tries to turn us into frogs. I could use a break."

These words surprised the young prince. Even though Cringer had never particularly liked their obligations and duties to Grayskull and all of Eternia, he never really admitted to wanting to run away from them either. _"I can't blame him, though_ ," Adam thought to himself. " _He-Man and Battlecat have made an appearance everyday this week. I think Skeletor is trying to wear us thin…and it's working_."

Adam reached down and scratched behind Cringer's ears. "You're right, old buddy."

Cringer's eyes widened for only a second before asking, "I..I am?"

Adam nodded. "Yeah, I know He-Man and Battlecat have been busy recently. It's time we got away from the palace and relaxed for a change. How long has it been since you and I spent a carefree day doing nothing but what we pleased?"

Cringer smiled and said, "Now, you're talkin'." Without giving Adam any time to say anything or change his mind, he eagerly ran towards the forest.

"Hey, Cringer! WAIT UP," Adam yelled as he smiled and ran off after his companion.

=)=)=)

Marlena watched her son run after his pet from a tower high behind the palace walls. She had been worried about Adam over the past several weeks. He hadn't seemed like his usual carefree and happy-go-lucky self. Nowadays, he seemed exhausted and stressed, moreso than usual, and that didn't make sense for a boy who wanted everyone to think he spent all his time having fun and being lazy. No, it didn't make sense at all.

For the thousandth time, Marlena couldn't help but wonder what her son did every time he went away from the palace. What on Eternia kept pulling him away day after day? What happened during those times that always made him return tired and ready for a nap even though he knew it would upset Teela, and more importantly, his father? In other words, what was he doing while he was gone? She knew some of the answers, but it wasn't nearly enough.

She didn't like that Adam was purposely hiding things from her. She never did. Of course, she knew all people had secrets, but she couldn't help but wonder why Adam had to hide EVERYTHING! She had told Randor and the entire court several times in passing that Adam would always be her child, and she had meant that. Because of that--because he was her child--she hated to think that Adam felt as though he couldn't trust her, that he couldn't talk to her about what was going on in his life. She had given him ample opportunity over the past year or so, but he never took it and she never asked. She wanted him to want to tell her, but she was beginning to realize he probably never would and that was unacceptable since things seemed to be getting far worse.

She shook her head to try to clear it of her thoughts. Contemplating her son's life and his secrets always gave her a headache because she didn't have all the information--nowadays, figuring him out was nearly impossible, and she found that incredibly sad. She used to be able to read him like a book. She dropped her head and looked down at her hands feeling absolutely confused. "Oh, Adam," she whispered to herself, "why won't you let me in?"

"Did you say something, my dear?"

Marlena turned around and saw her husband stroll up to her. He put his hands on the guardrail around the terrace and looked out onto his kingdom.

"Nothing important," answered Marlena softly. "I was just talking to myself."

King Randor smiled and replied, "Careful. We don't want everyone to think they have a queen who has conversations with herself."

Marlena knew he was trying to be funny, but in her opinion, the attempt failed miserably. She looked over the lands her husband was studying and wondered where her son was. She nodded slowly just enough to acknowledge Randor's statement.

=)=)=)

Randor glanced at his wife. Her posture was so rigid that he was sure she was going to snap in two at any second. Her shoulders were held straight as they so often were, but this time, he could tell it wasn't in an attempt to make herself look proper or stern for court. No, it looked like she was trying to hold herself together. More than anything, it was her facial expression which showed the signs that she was about to break down at any given second: her lips were turned slightly downward and her darkened eyes seemed to run across their lands as if looking for something she knew should be there but was missing.

He stepped closer to his wife and put a strong, comforting arm around her waist.

She immediately looked up at him in response.

Randor turned to face her slightly, raised his other hand, and cupped her cheek. "What's wrong, Marlena? I've noticed you haven't been yourself recently. You're so quiet, even when we're alone, like something's on your mind."

She couldn't help but laugh at the irony. "I guess we're two peas in a pod," she muttered to herself.

"What?"

Marlena looked back over the lands and fanned her left hand out across them as if the motion would explain everything. She held her hand suspended in air for several seconds, unsure if she should really tell her husband what was on her mind.

The king wasn't going to give her much choice. "Marlena," Randor pushed softly.

She looked up, smiled sadly, and said, "I was talking about Adam."

Randor looked down into the queen's eyes and asked, "What about Adam?"

"Well, surely you've noticed, since you've noticed the exact same thing in me. He's been so out-of-character recently."

Randor pulled away from his wife and laid both of his hands on the guardrail. He looked as if he were in deep thought, but then he shook his head slowly and said, "No, I haven't noticed anything different with Adam. I've barely seen him over the last few weeks. He's always skipping our meetings, and when he does show up, he's late. In fact, he's always sleeping or running off having his so-called 'fun.' I swear, Marlena, I don't know what I'm going to do with that boy sometimes. I wish he would take his royal duties more seriously…No, I don't think our son has been out-of-character. If anything, I think he needs to be a little out-of-character. Maybe he'd improve. Maybe he'd…" Randor trailed off as he saw the expression on his wife's face.

Marlena was staring at her husband like he had grown a second head. "I can't believe you," she said loudly, flapping her arms. Then she quieted down and shook her head. "I don't know," she whispered after a few seconds of silence. "Maybe it is just me. I just feel…so confused when it comes to Adam, recently."

Randor turned his back towards the kingdom and leaned against the railing to face the queen. "What do you mean?"

"Randor," she said sadly, "I feel like our son is a complete stranger to us. Do you ever stop to wonder where he runs off to all the time? And, I'm not talking about during battles. Like now, where is he? And, he's always so tired when he's here at the palace, but why? What's he doing that's tiring him out so much? I just…I don't know. I just hate the fact that our son doesn't talk to us like he used to. Remember when he was younger? He used to tell us everything. He used to talk about his future. He used to be such a lively young man. What's happened?"

Randor sighed and shook his head. "I don't know," he admitted. "I've always summed up Adam's laziness to being exactly that: laziness. I've never really wondered about where our son runs off to all the time while he's out having fun. I always figured he was out at the pond fishing or sleeping under a tree somewhere…" He scratched his chin thoughtfully and then continued, "But it does take Teela hours to find him sometimes, and if he were in those places, she would surely find him almost immediately. I don't know where he goes or what he does, Marlena." He trailed off with a look of concern flashing across his features.

After seeing his face and happy to have raised some concerns, Marlena quickly rushed into her husband's arms and cried, "Do you think we're losing our son? Do you think we've already lost him?"

Randor held her tightly and shook his head. "No," he said firmly. "We haven't lost him, but I do think it's time he and I have a little heart to heart."

=)=)=)

Randor walked into his friend's workshop and immediately smiled. Duncan had his hands in the air, waving them frantically as he talked to the little Trollan who always seemed to get a rise out of the usually calm Man-at-Arms.

"Orko, if I told you once, I've told you a thousand times, stay out of my workshop! You always manage to destroy something! Now, you've destroyed my latest invention which would have helped He-Man keep a constant eye on Castle Grayskull. Do you realize how many weeks this puts me back?"

"I'm sorry, Man-at-Arms," Orko said softly, pleading for the older man to forgive him.

The king cleared his throat and immediately got their attention.

"Your Majesty," Duncan said after turning to Randor; "Is there something I can help you with?" He knew his words were rushed, but he was alarmed because the king rarely made unexpected visits to his workshop. His presence told him something was wrong.

Randor nodded and said, "Yes, there is, Duncan. I need to talk to you about something rather important." He looked at the other individual in the room and said, "Orko, why don't you find Teela and tell her to find Prince Adam? I need to speak with him immediately."

"Oh, right away, sir," Orko replied energetically, as he moved his fingers rapidly and disappeared.

Once Orko was gone, Man-at-Arms was at his king's side and put a hand on his shoulder. "Is everything all right, Sire?"

Randor looked at Duncan and said softly, "I honestly don't know, anymore, Duncan."

Man-at-Arms squeezed his king's shoulder, but Randor immediately pulled away and walked to the other side of the room. Duncan stayed put and watched Randor walk around nervously. "Marlena and I had a talk about Adam this afternoon."

Duncan swallowed roughly. He knew in his bones that this could be bad, very bad, but he didn't say anything. He knew his job was to lend an ear to his king and not interrupt.

"She's very worried. She asked some questions this afternoon that I never even bothered to ask. I think the reason I never did was because I was scared." He looked into Duncan's eyes and said, "I was scared to know the truth. I was scared of what the answers might be, that my son is…"

Duncan stood there waiting for Randor to go on. He waited for what seemed like an eternity. "What is it, Your Majesty?"

Randor walked up to Duncan and looked straight into his eyes. "Adam is hiding something from me, isn't he?"

Duncan froze. Never before had King Randor or Queen Marlena cornered him with such questions concerning their son. He never even saw it coming. Why were they asking him? How much did they already know? The king looked at him with such hopeful eyes. What could he say? He knew he couldn't tell him the truth. He had promised Adam and the Sorceress never to reveal Adam's secret, but he had also sworn his allegiance to the king. He shook his head and cleared his throat. After a second, he looked down slightly, so he wouldn't have to make direct eye contact with Randor.

"What makes you think Adam is hiding anything, Your Majesty? I see no indication…"

Randor sighed and walked away. "I don't really expect you to have answers, Duncan. I don't even know if I expect you to understand. Teela is so different from Adam. She's always so open with you. She talks to you about all her problems. She has always went out of her way to make you proud."

"Are you saying Adam doesn't make you proud?"

Randor whirled back around to face Duncan. "I'm not saying that at all. Adam does make me proud. It's just that I'm starting to wonder why Adam never talks to me or Marlena anymore. He's always out supposedly having fun, and yet, when he returns, he never speaks about any of it. He's always so tired and worn down, but why? Is it really just laziness? I'm not so sure, anymore. Marlena and I hate to think our son is keeping secrets from us…which is why I have decided to speak to him this afternoon."

"What are you going to say?" Duncan asked worriedly.

Randor shrugged and said, "I don't know, Duncan. I just want to look into my son's eyes and know that he's telling me the truth. I want to assure Marlena and myself that he isn't hiding anything from us and that we're not losing him."

Duncan frowned but stated firmly, "You're not losing him. Of that, I am positive."

Randor nodded slowly and whispered, "I hope you're right."

=)=)=)

Adam followed Cringer deep into the Evergreen Forest until the tiger finally stopped at a large tree, circled around in place several times, and settled down. Cringer immediately closed his eyes as Adam walked up to him and said, "I guess I know what you want to do, today."

Cringer's only response was a wiggle of his tail and a yawn.

Adam laughed. "Who am I to argue?" He sat down, leaned back, and used Cringer's side as a pillow. He closed his eyes and tried to lose himself in Dreamland. Just as consciousness was about to slip away, Adam heard a high-pitched laugh that he knew could belong to only one person: Skeletor.

After hearing the laugh, Cringer immediately woke up, as well, and whispered, "On second thought, Adam, let's go back to the p-p-palace. They might need us there."

As the tiger stood up, Adam shushed him and crept over to some nearby bushes. He pushed a few of the branches aside and saw Skeletor, Beastman, Evil Lyn, and Trap Jaw circled around a large ball of bright light. Each of them held their arms up as Skeletor chanted, "I, Skeletor, command you, Magic Orb, to grow from our hate! Grow so big that even Castle Grayskull will crumble before your might!"

Adam watched, horrified, as the bright yellow orb turned black and immediately floated into the air and started growing. When it reached the size of a Windraider, Adam turned back to Cringer and said, "Come on." They ran a few yards, and Adam quickly reached behind him, grabbed the Power Sword, held it up, and yelled, "By the Power of Grayskull…"

Instantaneously, Prince Adam transformed into He-Man and Cringer into Battlecat. He-Man ran to Battlecat, climbed on top of him, and said, "Come on, Big Cat. We have a date with Skeletor."

Battlecat let out a loud roar and ran as fast as he could towards the orb that was already big enough to be visible from this distance.

Skeletor heard Battlecat's cry and despite already knowing asked, "What was that?" He turned and saw his enemies rushing towards him.

"Ah, He-Man!" Skeletor shouted, as they came to a stop before him. "I didn't expect you to know about my plan so soon. No matter. My plan will work out better than anticipated. You're too late, He-Man. This present is meant for the Sorceress of Grayskull, not you."

Skeletor raised his Havoc Staff and said, "Magic Orb, fly to Grayskull and let the Sorceress feel our might. Today, we shall not fail."

Immediately, the orb flew into the sky and tore branches off the trees as it went.

He-Man knew he had no time to deal with Skeletor and his minions. He jumped off of Battlecat and ran after the orb as fast as he could. Battlecat followed from behind.

He could hear Skeletor's laugh in the distance and became even more determined to stop the evildoer's plan, so he increased his speed. He found himself running faster than he ever had before: his muscles began to scream at him for release from the abuse he was now putting himself through, but he knew he had to ignore the pain. Despite never putting this much effort into running before, the orb was still a good distance ahead of him. He wasn't going to make it.

He-Man continued to run, but he closed his eyes for a second, concentrated, and said, "Sorceress."

The Sorceress' voice came to him and her concern was evident. "He-Man? What is wrong? I sense great pain and alarm from you."

He-Man opened his eyes, looked at the orb, and said strenuously, "I need your help. Can you bring me to the gate of Grayskull? A magical orb from Skeletor is on its way to Grayskull to tear it down."

The Sorceress' voice was strained as she said, "I will try."

He knew the Sorceress was his only hope now. He could see Grayskull in the distance and the orb was gaining in speed and size. "Come on, Sorceress," he begged. "Do it."

It seemed like the Sorceress was taking forever, so He-Man focused all of his strength and all of his energy into running. He was finally gaining on the orb, but suddenly he disappeared and found himself on the bridge of Grayskull. He watched as the orb lowered itself to the ground and sped towards him. It was going to try to ram him and the drawbridge.

He-Man's muscles were still screaming at him from the abuse he had just put them through, but he crouched down and prepared to catch the orb anyway. He knew he could not let the orb past him. He had no other option. The Sorceress was at the window and said to him, "Don't worry, He-Man. I shall help you." The orb finally reached the bridge of Grayskull and zoomed across it, where it collided with his massive arms.

He-Man pushed the orb with all of his might. Every so often the orb would make him take two steps back but then he would quickly regain the distance he had lost. Soon, He-Man was grunting and sweating from the sheer effort and strength he was giving to keep this orb from destroying Grayskull. He-Man knew he couldn't keep this up for much longer. He could feel himself tiring and his muscles were begging for release. Just as he thought he was going to drop, a bright white light came from behind his shoulders and took some of the pressure of the orb off of him.

"He-Man," the Sorceress called out. "I cannot hold it for long. We need to destroy it and destroy it now. You need to use all your power and strength in one instant. It's the only chance we have."

He couldn't speak. He could only nod and he hoped the Sorceress saw it. Immediately, He-Man dropped his arms from the orb and in that second, the Sorceress used her powers to hold the orb in place while he mustered all the strength he could and gave the orb one powerful punch. The orb exploded, threw him back several feet, and shook the ground for miles around, but Grayskull remained unscathed.

Once the orb was gone, He-Man looked around for any sign of Skeletor. When he saw none, he immediately closed his eyes and fell into darkness.

=)=)=)

The sky was growing a dark purple as the sun set. Teela walked into the palace from the courtyard with a look of frustration on her face.

"Did you find him?"

Startled, Teela jumped and looked behind her to see her father walking up to her.

"No," she said angrily. "I cannot believe Adam! He's always disappearing, and it's always my job to find him. What am I going to say when I tell the king I can't find his son? It's not only going to be bad for him but for me, as well. I'm his bodyguard. I'm supposed to be with him at all times when he leaves the palace. Do you think he cares about that at all? No! He seems to take pleasure in doing everything he can to defy me and his father."

Duncan shook his head and said, "Teela, he is the Prince of Eternia, so he isn't 'defying' you. Maybe the boy wanted a break and decided to spend some time alone. He has every right to it."

"A break from what?" asked Teela sarcastically. "From everyone getting on to him about his goofing off? I swear, Father, sometimes I could strangle him." She paused for a second and said, "Well, I guess I better go ahead and tell King Randor that Adam is nowhere to be found…again." She stomped off towards the throne room while Man-at-Arms rubbed under his chin and thought about the day's events.

He hadn't seen Adam all day either and that was highly unusual. Normally, the prince would come to him to talk about the latest feat He-Man had done or what was troubling him. He hadn't heard a peep all day long, nor had he seen Cringer, but he wasn't sure if he should be worried or not. It was very likely that Adam did decide to get away like he had just explained to Teela. Adam and Cringer had been very busy this week dealing with Skeletor's foolish antics day after day. They were both probably very tired. If only he knew for certain…

Man-at-Arms turned in the opposite direction of the throne room and decided to go to Prince Adam's chambers. Maybe Adam had managed to sneak inside the palace without anyone noticing him. As Duncan reached the doorway, he suddenly lifted his right arm to his forehead. He felt the Sorceress reaching out to him.

"Duncan," she said, "there is no need going in there. Prince Adam is not inside. He's here at Castle Grayskull."

Silently, Duncan asked, "Sorceress, why is he there? Is something wrong?"

The Sorceress ignored his questions. "Come to Grayskull, Man-at-Arms. Adam needs you."

Duncan spun around, prepared to run, but quickly stopped when he came face-to-face with King Randor. "Sire!" he cried, "You scared me half to death!"

Randor smiled slightly and replied, "I'm sorry, Duncan. It's just that Teela hasn't been able to find Adam, yet. Have you seen him; is he in his bedchambers?"

Duncan shook his head and quickly answered, "No, Your Majesty." Duncan turned his head, sighed, and looked towards the nearby window, which was pointed in the direction of Castle Grayskull.

The king followed his gaze. "Is something bothering you, Man-at-Arms?"

Duncan nodded truthfully and said, "I just learned of something that needs my immediate attention, Sire. I don't mean to run out on you when you need me, but this is an urgent matter."

Randor nodded, reached up, and laid his hand the man's shoulder. "Go, Duncan. We can discuss Adam and this urgent matter later."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Man-at-Arms said and nearly ran away from the king.

King Randor watched his man-at-arms leaving, sighed, and whispered, "Well, Adam, it looks like we won't have a mediator when you return to the palace." He went to Adam's bedchamber and slipped inside. He'd stay there all night if he had to.

=)=)=)

Man-at-Arms stood before Castle Grayskull and shivered. The place had never been very cosy like the palace, but something was different tonight. It gave off an odd air of discontentment. Something was wrong, very wrong. As he approached the entrance, the drawbridge lowered suddenly without warning. He was shocked to see neither the Sorceress nor Adam greeting him.

He walked into the castle and noticed it was eerily quiet. He looked around, almost expecting Skeletor to jump out at him any second. "Sorceress!" yelled Man-at-Arms; "Adam!"

Suddenly, the Sorceress' voice could be heard. "Over here, Duncan."

Duncan followed the voice past the throne room into a bedroom. He was shocked to find the Sorceress sitting on a bed watching over a sleeping He-Man. Battlecat, who was obviously worried about his master, had settled himself on the other side of the bed watching He-Man intently. The animal didn't look up or make a sound to acknowledge the newcomer's presence.

Man-at-Arms went to the bed and looked down at He-Man. Even though he was sleeping, he looked very tired, almost like he hadn't slept in months.

"What's wrong with him?" Duncan asked and immediately cringed. His voice sounded foreign even to his own ears. It sounded weak and afraid, too afraid to ask because it would make this seem all too real.

The Sorceress looked up and answered, "He's very tired, Duncan. Skeletor attacked Grayskull once again this afternoon, and it's put a strain on him. He had to use more power than he's accustomed to frequently in a short period of time today. His body is exhausted."

Duncan swallowed and with a shaky voice asked, "Is that all? Is he okay?"

The Sorceress nodded. "He's going to be very sore and tired for a while, but he isn't injured, if that's what you mean." She looked back at He-Man and brushed her fingers against his cheek.

He-Man opened his eyes and it took him a second to focus them on the Sorceress. "It's time to go back to the palace," she said.

He-Man slowly sat up in bed and once again felt the now familiar burn of his muscles screaming at him. He let out a groan and stood up. When he finally noticed Duncan was in the room, he slowly started making his way towards him. Once he reached his mentor and friend, He-Man leaned back toward the bed, picked up his sword, slowly held it up, and said in a weak voice, "Let the power return."

Man-at-Arms quickly grabbed one of Prince Adam's arms and threw it over his shoulder. The prince opened his mouth to protest, but Duncan shook his head, slipped his left arm around Adam's waist, and argued, "You're exhausted and I'm not taking any chances of you falling over. Let's go home, son."

Adam didn't utter a word. He let Duncan help him to the AttakTrak, and Cringer followed, also not saying a word. Once they were inside, Prince Adam laid across the backseat and closed his eyes. Cringer laid down on the floor in front of him and never took his eyes off of his master.


	2. Concerns

Noticing Adam Chapter 2

The entire ride back to the palace was enveloped in silence as Man-at-Arms' eyes kept drifting to the sleeping prince behind him. His mind, however, was anything but quiet. He wondered exactly what Skeletor had done this time to cause He-Man to overexert himself, which was unbelievable in its own right. When Man-at-Arms was at Castle Grayskull, it never occurred to him to ask the Sorceress for details. All he had cared about was Adam and rightfully so:  he had watched the lad grow up into the man and hero he was today. He was practically a son, but he knew it wasn't only that. When he saw He-Man lying in that bed motionless, the same feeling he had felt when he watched Hordak take infant Adora away from Eternia all those years ago came rushing back: he felt like he had let King Randor and all of Eternia down.

Man-at-Arms was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't realize he was at the palace until the AttakTrak parked itself into its proper place. Once the vehicle stopped, Duncan turned all the way around and looked at the scene before him. Adam was sound asleep and Cringer, as watchful as Battlecat, had laid his head on the seat beside the prince, watching him intently.

Duncan reached out a hand slowly and rubbed the tiger's head comfortingly. "Don't worry," he whispered, "the Sorceress said he'd be okay."

Cringer looked at Duncan for a spare moment before letting his eyes drift back to Adam. "I-I knew it was a mistake the leave the palace, t-today," the animal said softly. "Anytime we go anywhere to get away, He-Man always has to help someone." Cringer paused and asked even more softly, "B-but who's going to help He-Man?"

Duncan felt like his heart stopped in response to Cringer’s words, and he immediately took his hand away from the tiger. Cringer's worries and concerns made the situation and facts all too real: He-Man really wasn't invincible. Of course, Duncan had always known that he wasn't, but the truth was he never thought about it. He suddenly realized he was guilty of taking Adam and He-Man for granted. They were always there when he and Eternia needed him. No one ever wondered what would happen if something actually did happen to Eternia's Champion. Man-at-Arms turned around to face the front, breathed in deeply, and said, "Cringer, I told you the Sorceress said he's going to be fine. He's just going to be a little sore. All Adam needs is a little rest and relaxation."

"Who's going to tell that to Skeletor?" came Cringer's reply.

Duncan suddenly felt claustrophobic. He opened the AttakTrak and quickly got out. He leaned over to the backseat and shook Adam lightly. "Adam," he whispered.

Adam groaned for a few seconds before opening his eyes and peering at Man-at-Arms.

"We're here," said Duncan, softly.

Slowly, Prince Adam climbed out of the backseat, and once he stood on the ground, Man-at-Arms slipped his arm around the prince's waist again.

"Duncan," Adam said softly, "I'm fine. I can walk without your help."

Duncan pulled his arm back and watched Adam stand before him. The young prince was shaking ever so slightly, and Duncan had no doubt it was because of his exhaustion and sore muscles. Almost immediately, he slipped his arm back around his waist and said, "Just humor me, Prince Adam, and let me help you to your room."

The use of his title made Adam quickly glance at his friend. He didn't know why, but he found it shocking to hear Duncan call him that since they were in private. He wondered at the possibilities:  perhaps Duncan thought that Adam's reluctance to be helped was because he found the situation degrading or embarrassing. To solve this, Duncan had decided to address him in a manner of pure respect to let him know he had nothing to be ashamed of. It was possible.

"Of course, on the same token, he could be looking at this as more of an obligation," Adam thought but then quickly squashed the thought out of his mind. Either way, he was tired and allowed Duncan to help him.

=)=)=)

Teela walked through the halls of the palace, still seething from Adam's most resent display of irresponsibility and monkey business. "How dare he!" she hissed silently. "I cannot believe Adam! Once again, he's managed to ruin a beautiful day for me by running off and falling asleep somewhere. I had to spend the entire day searching for him when I should have been practicing with my men and watching them train. And, what's worse is the look the king and queen had when I told them I couldn't find Adam. They seemed so disappointed. The king immediately left the room and I haven't seen him since. He's probably upset at Adam for running off without telling anyone, and he's upset with me for allowing him to do it." Teela stopped dead in the middle of the hallway, stomped her foot, and then screamed to herself, "URGH!"

Teela stood there for a second breathing in deeply to calm herself when she heard someone walking down the hallway right around the corner. "Ah-ha! Patrolling the halls came in handy tonight. I can't wait to give Adam a piece of my mind."

Teela tiptoed to the potted plant where the two halls met and peeped around the corner. What Teela saw made her gasp:  her father was helping Adam walk, undoubtedly, to his bedroom with Cringer following close behind. Adam had his right arm around her father's shoulders while the other one seemingly hung from his shoulder blade without a care in the world. His head wasn't much better, either. Adam was almost looking down straight at the floor and every few seconds, he would pop his head up with his eyes wide open. It looked like he was trying to fight off sleep. That's when Teela noticed the very tight hold her father had on Adam's waist. He was literally holding the prince up and practically dragging him through the hall.

Griping at Adam was now the last thing Teela had on her mind as she stepped out of her hiding place and ran to Adam's side.

"Father!" she cried. "What happened? What's wrong with Adam?" Teela quickly took Adam's left arm and wrapped it around her shoulders and helped her father as best as she could.

Duncan looked at Teela and suddenly realized he hadn't come up with an answer to Adam's whereabouts during the day or his present condition. Usually that was Adam's department, but he saw from Adam's constant closing and opening eyes that the prince wasn't going to have an excuse handy tonight. He knew Teela's questioning eyes were still on him, so he said, "Let's not talk about this right now. Let's just help Adam to his room."

In complete silence, Teela and Man-at-Arms helped Adam the rest of the distance to his bedchambers. Once they arrived, Teela opened the door, led her father and Adam inside, and turned on the lights. Once they got Adam on the bed, Teela quickly went about removing his boots. Man-at-Arms watched silently as Adam finally gave into sleep and rolled his head to the side on his pillow.

Once Teela set Adam's boots down on the floor, she stared at Adam for a few seconds before turning to her father with a concerned expression covering her face. If he hadn't known any better, he would have thought she was on the verge of tears. "Okay, Father," said Teela slowly as if trying to calm herself down, "what's wrong with Adam?"

"That's a very good question!" came a voice from behind them.

Man-at-Arms and Teela immediately swirled around in time to see King Randor run from Adam's balcony to the bed. Duncan watched as Randor sat on the edge of the bed, grabbed his son's hand, and stared at him with the same expression Cringer and Battlecat had earlier. Duncan knew he had to have an answer for his king and quickly.

Randor, however, was paying more attention to Adam than Man-at-Arm's silence: Adam's eyes had dark circles underneath them and all of his skin had a sickly-pale hue. He was obviously in a deep sleep now because the slightest touch to any part of his body would have woken him up when he was younger. It didn't now. This only strengthened King Randor's concern.

He quickly looked at Teela and said in a loud and rushed tone, "Go get the Royal Physician."

"Yes, Your Highness," replied Teela, but she was quickly stopped by her father who put a firm hand on her shoulder.

"Your Majesty," Duncan said, softly, "Prince Adam is fine. He isn't hurt; he's merely exhausted. He'll be fine after a good night's rest."

The king tore his eyes away from his son, looked up at Man-at-Arms angrily, and said, "And, how do you know this, Duncan? Was this the 'emergency' you had to tend to earlier when we last spoke? Where was my son, and what happened to him?"

Duncan motioned for King Randor to follow him out to the balcony before their voices woke up Adam. Once they were outside, Duncan decided the best way to get out of this situation was to tell the truth, but he also knew he had to leave a few of the details he did know out. He quickly turned to face Randor and said abruptly, "I don't know what happened to Prince Adam, Your Majesty."

"What?" Randor exclaimed. "Then, how do you know he will be fine? I'm getting the physician."

Man-at-Arms grabbed the king's arm and said, "The Sorceress of Grayskull contacted me this afternoon and told me Adam needed my help. When I arrived at Grayskull, she informed me that he was fine and all he needed was rest. I'm sure the Sorceress' diagnosis does not need a second opinion."

Randor turned, looked at his son still sleeping on the bed, and replied, "I'm sure you're right, Duncan. The Sorceress has always had my family's best interest at heart. She has proven that many times over the years, but I don't understand. She didn't tell you what happened to Adam? Why did she contact you and not me in regards to my son? And, even more importantly, when we were talking in the hall, why didn't you tell me something was wrong with Adam? I would have went with you to get him. I would have…" He trailed off. The truth was he didn't know what he would have done. He only knew for certain that not even Skeletor and all of his allies could have kept him from getting to his son.

Duncan looked down at the floor and said, "I had no idea what was going on. I didn't know what I would find when I got to Grayskull. I was hoping it was something I could handle."

Randor's hand reached out, placed its finger under Duncan's chin, and made him look the king in the eye. Randor swallowed roughly and asked calmly, "And, how many other instances has my son been hurt or in trouble and you have helped him without my knowledge?"

Duncan's eyes widened. He surely couldn't say the immediate answer that came to his mind: too many to count.

Randor saw Duncan's expression and turned away. He looked out over his lands and said, "So, I was right earlier. My son is keeping secrets from his mother and me. You have, too."

"Your Majesty," said Duncan rapidly. He knew this conversation wasn't going well. He knew he had to say something to rectify everything, but he didn't know what.

King Randor looked back at Man-at-Arms and gave him a weak and an all-too-obvious fake smile. Duncan could tell he was straining to keep the smile in place. Randor patted Duncan on the back and replied, "Don't worry, Man-at-Arms—I’m not angry with you. I suppose it is your job to protect the prince, and it isn't your job to tell me about my son's life. It's his job." He paused and looked up at the stars above him. He sighed and continued, "I just wish I knew what I did wrong."

"What?" asked Duncan, unsure where Randor was going with this line of talk.

Randor looked at him and explained, "I've just come to the realization that Marlena is right:  our son is a stranger to us." He shook his head and whispered, "Why does he feel like he can't come to me when he is in trouble or when he needs help? Did I make myself that unapproachable to him? I thought Adam knew that I loved him even though I probably haven't said it as much as I should have."

"It's not that," stated Duncan; "Adam loves you and he knows you love him. He's not keeping anything from you that…"

Randor cut him off by yelling, "Duncan!" Randor then quieted down after peering into the bedroom and seeing Adam stir in bed and Teela look in their direction. "Don't tell me this has nothing to do with me and that Adam isn't purposely keeping things from me! Otherwise, how do you explain his obvious confidence in you? I thought this whole time that Adam was probably the one who had issues letting people in, but now I see it's all about who he's comfortable around. You're a good man, a good father, Duncan. That's why Teela tells you everything. That's also why Adam tells you everything instead of me."

Man-at-Arm's eyes widened. "It isn't like that at all, Your Majesty," he said quickly, eager to change the king's mind. "Adam doesn't tell me everything that's going on in his life. The Sorceress was the one who contacted me today, not Adam. I don't know anymore about what happened than you do. Please, Your Majesty, don't beat yourself up over this. Adam loves and respects you; I know he does. I'm sure he's unaware of your concerns, but as soon as he's feeling better maybe you both can try to resolve whatever issues you may or may not have with each other."

King Randor looked at Man-at-Arms, smiled, grabbed his shoulder, and squeezed. "I'm sorry, Duncan, to take all my concerns out on you. I'm sure you're right. I just jumped to hasty conclusions when I saw Adam and realized where you had gone."

Duncan smiled, visibly relieved that he had smoothed things over for the time being, but he knew his not knowing and not telling anything would put Adam in a tight spot when the prince awoke. Adam would have to think on his toes to soothe the king’s anxiety, and unfortunately, Duncan couldn’t help that. He didn’t want to put Adam in a worser position of having to explain why his account was different than his mentor’s. That wouldn't help them rid Randor's suspicions at all.

"But," said Randor looking once again at Adam and interrupting Duncan’s thoughts, "now that I think about it, I don't know if this makes it better or worse."

"What's that?"

"If he isn't talking to you, it's possible he isn't talking to anyone. No one has a clue what is going on in his life. Does he necessarily want it that way? Does he think no one cares? Is he so secretive that he uses laziness as a ploy to cover his tracks because he thinks he can't trust us?"

Duncan glanced at Adam and Teela and whispered, "That's speculative, Your Highness. I think Adam is a truly loving and caring individual who is still maturing into the man and ruler he will become. He's still young and trying to find who he really is besides the Prince of Eternia. I'm sure you can understand that."

Randor nodded. "Yes, you're quite right, again, Duncan. I do understand that. It's just that I worry so much about the boy. What if something happens to me and he's not ready to take over? The transition to king is rough enough on the most trained princes, much less…

Duncan looked over at Randor and said, "Just talk to Adam. Maybe he'll surprise you. I honestly believe you and the queen are worrying over nothing. Adam is a fine lad and I know he'll make a great king one day. He isn't hiding anything from us that needs to be told, Your Majesty. He trusts all of us, especially you and the Queen."

=)=)=)

Teela watched her father and the king talk on the balcony. There were a few occasions where one of them had raised their voices, but for the most part, she couldn't hear what they were discussing, even though it was pretty obvious. Teela sat down in a chair she had pulled near Adam's bed and reached out to brush his bangs away from his forehead so she could feel his temperature.

"He feels fine," she thought to herself, "but he looks terrible."

She stared at his face for what seemed like hours until movement caught the corner of her eye. She looked over and saw Cringer sitting on the floor at the foot of the bed. "Oh, Cringer," she thought sadly. Teela reached out her hand and said, "Come here, Cringer."

Cringer walked over to Teela's side and sat beside her. They both looked at Adam and sighed simultaneously.

Suddenly and without warning, Teela started speaking which surprised them both. "Cringer, this is the day I've dreaded for many years now, ever since I became Adam's bodyguard.” Tears filled her eyes and she looked down at the pet. "I'm supposed to protect him, and look at him. He's here lying in bed and I don't know what in the world is wrong with him or what happened. He was fine this morning. Maybe if I actually did what I'm always screaming at Adam to do, then this wouldn't have happened."

"Wh-what are you talking about Teela?" asked Cringer.

"I'm always yelling at Adam that he should do what's expected of him and take charge of his responsibilities. Obviously, I should have taken my own advice. He's my charge and I wasn't there for him when he needed me."

Cringer stood up and nudged Teela's hand, which was resting on her knee, with his nose. She smiled down at him weakly. As Teela petted him, he replied, "You heard Man-at-Arms say Adam is fine. H-he'll be as good as new with t-time."

Teela's hand movements ceased and Teela asked quickly, "What happened today, Cringer? I need to know."

Cringer instinctively looked at Adam for help, but he quickly realized he wasn't going to get any from there. "I don't know" fell from his lips then. After all, he could hear the king and Man-at-Arms speaking and it worked for Duncan, so why not him, too? He quickly realized the answer to that question when he noticed Teela's furrowed brow and the intense stare of disbelief. Just as Teela opened her mouth to either chastise or question him, Cringer looked towards balcony and was relieved to see Man-at-Arms and King Randor heading their way. He kept his eyes in their direction to avoid Teela. When Man-at-Arms reached them, he said, "I think we should all leave to let Adam and Cringer get their rest."

Randor looked at his son and replied, "Maybe I should stay and watch over him in case he needs something."

Duncan looked at the king understanding his hesitancy in leaving his son. "I'll check on him periodically during the night. You need your rest, as well. I'll come and get you if Adam needs you."

"If he needs anything," Randor corrected.

Man-at-Arms nodded and amended, "If he needs anything."

=)=)=)

The next day Adam didn't feel like opening his eyes. He felt the warm sun shining through the window on his arms, which would have been wonderful under normal circumstances, but unfortunately, he had forgotten to change into his sleepwear the night before. He still wore his long-sleeved undershirt under his pink tunic. He wasn't surprised, though, that he hadn't remembered to change his clothes last night; he didn't even remember getting into bed. That's how far he had been out of it.

He breathed in deeply, snuggled into his pillow, and then suddenly yelled out in pain. His calves had suddenly locked up from cramps, and even though his arm muscles were also stiff, he quickly opened his eyes, sat up, and started rubbing his legs frantically to relieve himself of the pain.

Suddenly, there was another pair of hands on his legs helping him. After the pain subsided, Adam leaned back, closed his eyes for a second, and said, "Thank you, Dun…" He stopped his statement as soon as he reopened his eyes and saw who was really in the room with him. "Uh, Father."

"Good morning, son," replied Randor, forcing himself to smile softly after hearing Adam almost call him Duncan. "I see you're a little sore today. I just hate it when I wake up with cramps after working hard all day long the day before."

"Uh, yeah," replied Adam as he sat up, raised his hand, and scratched his head.

Just as Adam was about to question his father why he was in his room, his mother came in with a tray of food.

"Oh, good," she said, "you're awake." She walked to the side of the bed, gave Adam the tray, sat beside him, and pressed the back of her hand to his cheek. "How are you feeling today, son? Are you okay?"

Adam eyed his mother suspiciously for a second as she ran her fingers through his hair. "Uh, Mom, what's going on? Is something wrong?"

King Randor got up from his seat and also sat on the edge of the bed. "I don't know. You tell us."

Adam looked at his parents, feeling as if Eternia had turned upside down.

The door suddenly opened, and Teela, Orko, and Man-at-Arms entered, each carrying a 'Get Well Soon' potted plant. Adam looked around at everyone and his eyes finally settled on Cringer who was also eating a rather large breakfast in the corner…OF HIS ROOM. Something was definitely going on. "Okay…" he said slowly, thinking about everything that had happened yesterday. He was obviously forgetting something. He remembered collapsing at Grayskull but he didn't remember much after that. Surely nothing catastrophic happened, right? Feeling more than a little confused, he looked at his father and asked with a serious tone, "Am I dying?"

Randor immediately sprung from the bed, ran closer to Adam’s side, and grabbed his shoulders. The king looked as if he were in an unbearable panic. "Why do you ask that?" he asked frantically. "Are you feeling okay? What’s wrong? What on Eternia did you do yesterday?"

Adam widened his eyes and looked over at Man-at-Arms.

Duncan had no problem deciphering the plea in Adam's eyes: "HELP!"

Man-at-Arms sat his potted plant down on a nearby table and walked to the bed. "Your Majesty, I believe the prince asked that question because of this morning's developments. The lad has to be confused with all of this."

Randor laughed awkwardly and rubbed his son's back lightly. "Oh, Adam, don't scare me like that."

"Scare you?" quipped Adam.

The room quickly fell into complete silence for several seconds, which made Adam feel like he was going to go mad. "So…" he said in hopes of getting someone to say something.

"So…," repeated Randor.

It seemed like no one knew how to begin. They sat in silence again for a little while longer and finally Randor had waited long enough. Patience had never been one of his attributes. "Adam," he began, but then he stopped and looked around at the room's occupants. He quickly addressed them and said, "I think the Queen and I need to speak with our son alone. We appreciate your lovely gifts and concern. You can stop by again later."

Everyone nodded at once, and as they left the room, Adam's eyes connected with Man-at-Arms'. They were both worried, very worried.

"Poor Adam," thought Duncan; "He probably doesn't have a clue what is coming." He hoped Adam was clearheaded enough to answer the king’s questions. Undoubtedly, they would be the same ones Randor had asked him last night.

As the door shut, Adam swallowed nervously and decided now was the perfect time to dive into the food his mother had brought him. He looked down and saw a meal which consisted of soups and sandwiches. He looked at his mom and said, "I'm okay, Mom. I could have eaten regular breakfast food this morning."

Marlena stared at her son with almost a look of sadness as she brushed his bangs down with her fingers and replied, "I'm sure you could have, son, but it's past noon. I figured this would be more suitable. Besides, it's better for you."

Adam's eyes widened and he asked incredulously, "I slept all morning?"

Randor nodded and said, "Yes, son. You were so tired last night and looked so much better this morning that we decided not to wake you up. I hope you are well-rested and feeling better now."

Adam nodded nervously. He didn't remember running into his parents last night. He didn't even remember anything after he stopped Skeletor's orb. He didn't know what his parents thought happened yesterday, so he wasn't about to start shooting off explanations that could contradict anything they might have been told.

Once again, the room became engulfed in silence. Adam passed the time by sipping from his soup, and Randor stared at Marlena for several seconds. Adam watched his parents’ actions curiously. It was almost like they were speaking telepathically. Suddenly, Randor snapped his head towards him and Adam immediately looked down at his food.

Randor looked at his wife and nodded. "Son," he began and then sighed; "This is harder than I thought."

Adam looked up. His father sounded so serious and concerned that he knew he better pay attention.

Randor smiled at Adam reassuringly and said, "I don't even know where to begin. I wanted to talk with you yesterday before any of this ever happened. It's kind of ironic that yesterday afternoon's events have sort of brought what I wanted to talk with you about to the forefront of all my concerns."

Adam glanced at his mother briefly and then back at his father. "What did you want to talk to me about?"

"Your mother and I want to know if you trust us, Adam."

Adam answered without even thinking. "Of course, I do, Father. If the situation ever came, I would trust you with my life."

Randor smiled and said, "I'm glad to hear that, son. With that being said, I have a couple of things to ask you." His face grew serious.

"Uh, oh," Adam thought.

"I want to know where you were yesterday. What were you doing? What happened? And, why did the Sorceress have to contact Man-at-Arms to come get you at Castle Grayskull?"

Adam sat there for a few seconds not knowing what to say. How much did they already know? "I, eh, I don't know, Father."

"You don't know?" Randor and Marlena repeated unbelievingly.

Adam leaned back on the bed and explained, "Cringer and I went to the Evergreen Forest yesterday to relax and the next thing I remember, I, eh, woke up here with all of you in my room."

Marlena and Randor frowned at each other, but then Marlena mumbled, "I did see you and Cringer leave in the direction of the forest yesterday." She said this merely for Randor's benefit to show that their son just might be telling the truth and to help Adam a little. She knew her husband didn't really believe Adam's sudden and selective amnesia, and she couldn't blame him, because she didn't really believe it herself. But Adam was sick and injured, so now was not the best time to press Adam hard about his secrets.

They all sat there silently for several more minutes, each immersed in his or her own thoughts. Randor was pretty much convinced his son didn't want to tell them the truth, and Adam felt lower than dirt for having to lie. He wished for once, just once, he could tell his parents the truth, especially since it seemed like they were so ready and eager to hear it. He closed his eyes and laid his arm over his eyes.

As Adam did this, Randor looked over at him and said, "I can see you're still tired, son. Your mother and I will leave you for now so you can rest. I hope to see you later today."

Adam uncovered his eyes and replied, "Thanks."

"You're welcome," Randor said hurriedly as he and Marlena left the room, pausing to give him a worried look before stepping into the corridor.

As soon as the door shut behind his parents, Adam looked at it and whispered, "I'm sorry."

On the other side of the door, Randor looked at the queen and whispered sadly, "He's lying to us, Marlena. But why? What is he keeping from us?"

Marlena wrapped her arms around her husband, glad that he was finally paying attention to their son and showing he had the ability to read him, and asked, "What are we going to do, Randor?"

He held her tightly and answered, "Whatever we can, wife. I refuse to lose our son, and I refuse to be left out in the dark any longer."


	3. Searching for the Truth

Noticing Adam Chapter 3

Teela stood on a balcony near the throne room and looked out over the kingdom she had sworn to protect. She certainly tried to carry out that duty without any hesitation or reluctance. When Eternia was in trouble, she did everything she could to protect it. A tear slipped down her cheek as her thoughts drifted to Adam: she failed. She failed not only Adam but all of Eternia. Adam was the future king. What would have happened if he had died yesterday? The entire kingdom would have been shaken to its very core, and the king, queen, and people would have had no one to blame but her. His parents would have been devastated, and it would have been her fault. It was her duty to protect the prince. That was supposed to be her number one priority.

As Teela wiped the tear away from her cheek, she heard someone step behind her. She knew it wasn't her father because he was still talking to the king and queen about his latest invention Orko had destroyed, so she prepared to whirl around and demand whoever it was to leave until she heard his voice: "Hey, Teela."

Almost instantly, Teela engulfed Adam in a huge and tight bear hug.

"Whoa," he said only half-jokingly as he slipped his arms around her waist and also held her tight. They stayed that way for what seemed like forever. Adam simply enjoyed the moment and was content holding Teela for as long as she allowed him to.

Teela clung to Adam not only because she was so glad to see him awake and okay but also so she could hide her face until she was ready to face him. As soon as he had wrapped his arms around her, tears had pooled to her eyes, and she knew she couldn't let him see them.

Eventually, she took a deep breath, wiped her face, and pulled back from the embrace. She looked into his eyes and stared for several seconds until she suddenly slapped him somewhat hard on the arm and berated, "What were you thinking yesterday, running off like that and getting hurt? What happened?" She slapped him again and asked, "Do you have any idea how worried I was last night?"

He grabbed her hands and held them in his so she couldn't slap him anymore, even though she wasn't really hurting him. He smiled and said, "Sorry, Teela. I, uh, didn't do it intentionally." Then his smile faded and he asked as he let go of her hands, "You saw me last night?"

She gulped and nodded. "Yes, it's something I'll never forget. Father was helping you walk through the halls, and you were about to pass out. You were barely keeping your eyes open, so I helped him get you to your room. You scared us all, Adam." She wrapped her arms around him again.

Adam smiled as he once again wrapped his arms around her. He laughed softly and said, "Maybe I need to get hurt more often for all this positive attention that I'm getting."

She immediately stepped back and exclaimed, "What!" She raised her hand to slap him on the arm again, and the prince playfully flinched.

"I'm just kidding; I'm just kidding," he exclaimed, waving his hands in front of her.

She lowered her hands and said softly, "Don't joke about something like that, Adam. Never again."

Adam grew serious. He saw that she was clearly upset and his efforts to make her smile were not working. "I'm fine, Teela, seriously."

She looked towards the floor and nodded, still trying to reign her emotions in. Finally, she looked up and smiled. "Well, you're just going to have to prove to me how fine you really are. Are you up for a combat lesson?"

He sighed playfully and said, "Eh, I'm all of a sudden feeling very lightheaded and tired. I think I should go lie down."

Teela folded her arms across her chest and exclaimed menacingly, "Adam!"

He chuckled and said, "Lead the way, Captain." He looked back at the green tiger behind him, who had watched everything silently. "Come on, Cringer."

=)=)=)

Randor and Marlena stood outside with Man-at-Arms as Adam and Teela strolled by them a few feet away.

"There he is," Duncan said with a relieved smile. "He looks ten times better than he did this morning."

"Yes, he does," replied Randor and Marlena simultaneously.

Randor wrapped an arm around the queen and asked, "Where do you think they're running off to?"

Man-at-Arms laughed and guessed, "Knowing Teela, probably a combat lesson. She probably won't rest until she knows Adam is okay and her best way to assess him is when he's fighting."

Randor also laughed and said, "Your daughter is a fine soldier, Duncan: the best in all of Eternia. She does her job well. I could not ask for a better bodyguard for my son." He paused for a second and decided he should also assess his son’s health so he added, "Let's go watch the fun."

They reached them just in time to see Teela handing Adam a shield and sword, then she went to pick up her own.

Adam watched Teela leave as he secured his shield in the proper position. He could feel the strain the weight of the shield was putting on his arm muscles. "Okay, so I'm not a hundred percent yet," he thought to himself. He swung the sword and a soft gasp escaped his lips as he felt his muscles pull. He looked as Teela headed back towards him and whispered to himself nervously, "Oh, boy."

Teela reached him, smiled, and said, "Okay, Adam, prepare to defend yourself!"

Adam quickly raised his shield and sword as she swung at him. As Teela's sword connected with his shield, it sent little tingles and an intense straining sensation down his arm. "This is not good," thought Adam. He swung his sword at her to make her back up and instantly regretted that decision. Stretching his arm out had caused it to cramp. Almost immediately, he dropped his shield and grabbed his arm in pain.

Teela was in the process of swinging and barely stopped the blade in time from striking the prince’s arm. "Adam!" she screamed as he dropped to his knees and started rubbing and moving his arm frantically. She tossed her weapon to the ground and was also on her knees before him in an instant.

Before he knew what was happening, he was circled by people. He looked around and saw the worried faces of both his parents, Man-at-Arms, Teela, and Cringer. He rubbed his arm a little more which was still tingling and got to his feet. "I'm okay," he said quickly. "My arm just cramped on me. I guess I should have stretched before I began sparring with Teela."

He quickly walked away, but Randor was quick on his heels. "What's going on, Adam?" he asked as they got out of hearing distance of everyone else.

Adam stopped, looked down at the ground, and shook his head. "Nothing's going on, Father." He turned around and looked at him. "My arms are sore, sorer than I thought. I guess I'm not ready to take on the Captain of the Guard yet." Adam smiled lightly, but it quickly faded since his father only stared at him in response.

Randor reached out and squeezed his shoulder. "And, why are you so sore? What happened yesterday?"

Adam's eyes widened slightly before he said softly, "I already told you that I don't remember. Cringer and I…"

"I don't believe you, Adam," Randor said firmly.

Adam backed up astonished, because never before had his father openly doubted him. "What?" he asked, sure he had to be hearing him wrong.

"Son, I find it difficult to believe that you can't remember anything that happened to you, yesterday. There had to be a point where something was happening before you 'blacked out.' What are you hiding from me and your mother?"

Adam looked down and said, "I don't know what I'm supposed to say. I'm telling you everything that I can, and if you don't accept it, then what is there left for me to say?"

"The truth," the king answered demandingly.

Adam looked up and insisted, "I'm telling you all that I can, Father."

"What does that mean, son? Does that mean that you're telling me all you can because you can't remember anything, or you’re protecting something or someone and you're only telling me what you can to keep your secret?"

Adam looked down and whispered, "When did you start suspecting that I keep secrets from you?"

Tears came to Randor's eyes and said, "When I realized you were lying to me."

Adam immediately looked up and saw his father's tears. He closed his eyes and wished wholeheartedly that he could make all his father's worries disappear. He wished he could tell him, and he was so scared his father was about to discover the truth. The Sorceress never said one way or the other, but he had a feeling something horrible would happen if his father knew who he really was and how it was affecting his life. He had to do something, anything to get his father off his back.

Shockingly to both of them, Adam grabbed his father's hand and pleaded, "Father, you have to believe me! You know I would never keep anything from you unless it was absolutely necessary. I won't say that I haven't kept things from you. What person doesn't have secrets? But I will say this:  I've never kept anything from you that should be known. I really don't know what happened between the time I blacked out yesterday until now, Father. I really don't." Unshed tears swarmed to his eyes and he tried to let the honesty in his statement show there. He was telling the truth. He just wasn't going to tell Randor when he passed out or why. “Please let him buy this,” he thought, desperately.

Randor, finally feeling a little hesitant about his conclusions, hugged his son close to him. When they finally pulled back, he said, "Then, I guess we need to find out what did happen."

"What?" His father's statement startled him.

"The Prince of Eternia was unconscious yesterday and whatever did happen has left him in pain. I want to know why, and I'm sure you do, too. I think we need to find answers."

Adam gulped and asked, "How?"

"It's been years since I've been to Grayskull and I think it's time I…we paid the Sorceress a visit. She's the one who contacted Man-at-Arms to come to get you, so she knows what happened."

Randor looked over at Man-at-Arms and the others who were watching them. He walked over to them and said, "Duncan, Teela, get the AttakTrak ready. We're making a little trip."

"Where to?" asked Teela.

"Castle Grayskull," he answered simply.

Man-at-Arms looked at Adam and they both exchanged a worried glance. Adam walked over to him and whispered, "What are we going to do? Father is going to confront the Sorceress about what happened to me yesterday."

Duncan looked back at Randor who was talking to the queen. "The Sorceress can handle herself. I'm sure she'll come up with something."

 


	4. A Trip to Grayskull

**Noticing Adam Chapter 4**

A shrill laugh could be heard through all the corridors of Snake Mountain. Skeletor sat on his throne and looked around the room at his minions. His plan was going perfectly; soon no one would be able to stand between him and Castle Grayskull, especially not He-Man.

Evil-Lyn eyed Skeletor with a look of suppressed hatred and asked, "And, why are you so happy today, Skeletor? He-Man has foiled our plans once again to take over Castle Grayskull."

Skeletor stood, chuckled evilly, and answered, "A stupid question, Evil-Lyn. You might have been trying to take over Castle Grayskull yesterday, but that was never my intention."

"What?" asked Evil-Lyn, suddenly appalled; "Then, what were we doing?"

"Exactly what we accomplished," said Skeletor, almost flippantly. "Collectively, we have kept Eternia's Champion on his toes for the better part of the season."

"Yes, and he's won every time!" she replied smugly.

"And, so he has," Skeletor said, unfazed. "But I doubt he'll defeat us for much longer. Soon, Castle Grayskull will be mine!" He started laughing while Evil-Lyn looked over at Tri-clops, who simply shrugged.

"And, just how do you think you're going to take over Grayskull? He-Man…"

"He-Man," Skeletor repeated angrily. He was quickly growing tired of having to explain everything to the fools. "He-Man will not be a problem for much longer. Along with the countless trials I have put He-Man through recently and the effort he must have used to stop the Magic Orb, there is no way He-Man walked away unharmed. I have weakened him! And, very soon, I will defeat him…but first, we need to test him. I need to know if I've done enough to prevent him from stopping our inevitable take-over."

Evil-Lyn finally laughed. Skeletor's plan was finally dawning on her. "So, all this time, we've been really tiring He-Man out. Eventually, he'll drop of overexertion."

"And, Eternia will be mine!" Skeletor cried and laughed, raising his hands as if he were already declaring victory.

=)=)=)

 

Adam stood next to the AttakTrak as Man-at-Arms made sure everything was in working order for their trip to Grayskull. "I don't like this," he said.

Man-at-Arms jumped out of the vehicle and regarded the young prince carefully. "What exactly?"

Adam sighed and leaned against a nearby pole. "Everything! I feel like I don't even know what's going on here half the time anymore. Father has always been…well, disappointed by the way I act sometimes, but I can't believe how he's been acting recently. I can't even fathom what's caused it. He's questioning my truthfulness all the time, almost like he knows something and that I'm lying to him. And, now this trip to Grayskull…"

Duncan watched Adam as he looked down and shook his head sadly. He reached out a steady hand and gripped the prince's shoulder firmly. "Your father is worried about you, lad. He has his reasons. You've been gone a lot recently, more than we're accustomed to, and last night, you scared everyone, including me. The king is a man who likes to be in charge of everything and know all the facts, and unfortunately, he feels as though he's not getting that from you. You are his son; it scares him that you're possibly hiding things from him. In fact, he's told me so."

Adam slumped as he stared at Man-at-Arms. "He told you that?" he questioned and watched as Duncan nodded.

Slowly, Adam walked a few feet away from Duncan and looked up at the baby blue sky above him. "Sometimes I think things would just be easier if there were no He-Man."

Just as Duncan was about to open his mouth, Adam turned around looked at him, and said, "But I know there has to be. I know Eternia would have a harder battle to fight if he wasn't around. It's just that it seems like He-Man is needed a little bit more each day. While He-Man saves Eternia and allows everyone else's life to go on, Prince Adam's seems to be standing still." He looked down and said, "Well, in light of recent events, it seems like my life is going backwards. My parents don't trust me anymore. I'm becoming more tired day in and day out because of He-Man's deeds and the worries that plague my everyday life. I-I just don't know what to do anymore, Duncan."

Duncan walked over and hugged him as best as he could since he was wearing his armor.

Adam was slightly surprised, but he hugged him back briefly before pulling away. "What was that for?"

Duncan looked him in the eye and said, "I want you to know I'm here for you. There is not a problem that I won't help you find a solution to. Things look dim now, Adam, but things will get better. You will find a way to make everything work again. You always do. I have faith in you."

Adam smiled slightly and nodded. He sighed deeply and said, "Thanks. I think I needed to hear that."

Duncan patted him on the back and Adam quickly added softly, "But I also need to figure out what to do about my overzealous father."

Duncan looked in the direction of where Adam was staring and saw the king and Teela heading their way.

=)=)=)

They were all settled in the AttakTrak. Man-at-Arms was driving and the king sat beside him. Teela, Adam, and Cringer occupied the backseat. Everyone sat in silence. Every so often, Teela would look in Adam's direction but turn away just as Adam would turn his head to look at her. After this repeated for at least the eighth time, Adam leaned over and whispered, "What's wrong, Teela?"

Man-at-Arms and King Randor glanced toward the backseat, aware that Adam had said something to Teela even though they couldn't hear exactly what.

Teela met Adam's eyes and opened her mouth to respond when she suddenly clamped her mouth shut. She looked towards her father, and Adam followed her eyes. Both their fathers had their ears turned toward them, obviously listening for whatever they could hear. Adam shook his head and mouthed, "Later." She nodded.

The rest of the ride was once again traveled in silence. The only change was that now Adam found himself staring at Teela every so often, wondering what was plaguing her. However, once Castle Grayskull came into view his thoughts immediately went to what was about to happen. What would happen when his father asked the Sorceress what had happened yesterday? Did she even know they were coming and for what reasons?

It didn't take long for at least part of Adam's questions to be answered. As soon as they stepped out of the AttakTrak, the drawbridge of the castle immediately dropped. It was an obvious invitation by the Sorceress. Adam glanced over at Man-at-Arms who was already looking at him. They were hopeful. If the Sorceress expected them, then she must be aware of Randor's upcoming questions, right?

Adam took a step forward when he noticed Teela was right at his side, looking around with wide-eyes. He stopped walking and said softly, "Uh, Teela, are you okay?"

She nodded without looking at him and answered, "Yeah, I'm fine. Why?"

He glanced at his father and Man-at-Arms who were farther ahead of them walking towards the drawbridge. "Well, first you were staring at me on the way here, and now you're looking everywhere but at me. Come on, what's going on?"

She finally looked at him and said, "I was just looking at our surroundings, Adam. I'm the Captain of the Guard and your bodyguard, so it is my job to make sure _you_ and the king are safe."

He nodded slowly, accepting her explanation as to why she was looking around, but that didn't explain her staring at him in the AttakTrak; however, he decided to let that slide for now. His father was almost inside Grayskull and he was not about to let the Sorceress face his father's questions alone without his help, interference, or whatever else she needed.

He and Cringer started running towards Grayskull, and Teela quickly yelled after them, "Adam! Wait for me!"

=)=)=)

As they walked inside Grayskull, Duncan couldn't help but shudder. The last time he had walked within those walls, he had been certain Adam had been hurt. His mind flashed to the image of a sleeping He-Man on the Sorceress' bed. He had never been as scared as he had been that night. He shook his head and followed his king. He didn't want to think about it, not now. He needed to focus on what was about to happen.

As a group, they moved towards the Sorceress' throne. She was sitting in her chair, looking down at them. Once they stopped moving, the Sorceress stood and said, "King Randor, your visit is an honor."

Randor nodded and said, "It's good to see you again, Sorceress. I just wish it wasn't always under hard circumstances."

The Sorceress raised an eyebrow as if she were unaware of what the "hard circumstances" were this time. Adam gulped nervously and reached down to scratch Cringer who was standing beside him.

"Sorceress," Randor began, not giving her the opportunity to say anything, "I've been made aware of the fact that you probably rescued my son yesterday. You contacted Man-at-Arms to come and get him from Grayskull. Adam--I am sad to say--is unaware of the events that occurred, and I was hoping you could shed some light on this matter. You see, the prince is dreadfully sore and has slept for the better part of the day. I would really like to know what happened yesterday and especially to him."

The Sorceress opened her mouth to answer Randor when suddenly a loud boom resounded throughout Castle Grayskull.

"What was that?" yelled Adam.

The Sorceress closed her eyes and concentrated. Her eyes snapped open suddenly and she said quickly, "It's Skeletor! He's outside. I didn't see them coming because I was more concerned…" she trailed off as she stared down at Adam.

Another loud boom echoed throughout the castle and Cringer said, "That's it! I'm outta here." He took off running towards the back of the castle.

"CRINGER," Adam yelled and immediately took off after him.

"Adam!" screamed Randor and Teela as they witnessed the prince run after the scared tiger.

Teela immediately turned to run after Adam, but Duncan quickly grabbed her arm and asked hurriedly, "Where are you going?"

"After Adam," she answered and tried to pull her arm out of his grip. After a second of pointless squirming, she yelled, "Father, let me go! I have to go after him. There is no telling what is about to happen."

He shook his head and yelled, "There is no time, Teela! We need you to help fend off Skeletor! Adam will be fine if we prevent Skeletor from entering Grayskull. Now, come on."

Duncan ran towards the drawbridge. Teela looked in the direction Adam went hesitantly and then ran to her father deciding he was right.

=)=)=)

Skeletor watched as his loyal men pulled the rope they attached to the drawbridge with all their might. He knew it would work. It had before. Skeletor raised his Havoc Staff and also joined in on the effort. It only took less than a minute for the drawbridge to begin lowering.

Once the drawbridge came down completely with a large thud, Skeletor stared at the opening waiting to face whoever was there to confront him. Who he saw surprised him. "Man-at-Arms, Teela, King Randor?" he questioned, laughingly. He looked around and thought, "He-Man isn't in sight. Where is he? And, why is Randor here? Is it true? Is He-Man unable to fight? Is that why they are here? Did I already defeat Grayskull's Champion?"

Skeletor laughed and looked over at Tri-clops and Beastman. "Get them, you two!"

Just as Tri-clops and Beastman took a step forward, a familiar voice was heard from within Grayskull. "I wouldn't come any closer if I were you."

Suddenly, He-Man and Battlecat stepped out of the darkness. Teela looked beside her and back behind her, "He-Man, where did you come from? Did you see Adam?"

He ignored her questions and looked at the king to say, "Stay back, your majesty." He then turned his attention to his real concern and yelled, "Give it up, Skeletor!" He rode Battlecat a little farther out as he pulled his sword out of its sheath.

"Never!" yelled Skeletor as he aimed his Havoc Staff squarely at the hero's chest and shot an energy beam at him.

He-Man quickly blocked the hit and jumped off of Battlecat, prepared for Skeletor's next move.

Skeletor glanced at Evil-Lyn and whispered, "I can't tell. He looks fine, but it could be a façade. What do you think?"

"I say it's a bluff," Evil-Lyn whispered confidently. "Notice the darkness under his eyes and his reluctance to do anything right now. He's waiting for us to make our move instead of forcing us to leave like he usually does."

"I need to be sure," replied Skeletor. He turned to his other side and whispered, "Beastman, attack him."

"Huh?" gasped Beastman.

"You heard me, you flea-infested rug! Now, get over there and fight him…or else."

Beastman swallowed nervously and said, "As you wish, Skeletor."

Beastman quickly ran across the bridge towards He-Man.

He-Man quickly picked Beastman up with a loud grunt and threw him into nearby mud. "Anyone else?" asked He-Man as Man-at-Arms and Teela came to stand beside him.

Skeletor nodded at the rest of his companions and ordered, "Get them you, fools!"

Evil-Lyn, Trap-Jaw, and Tri-clops ran at them. Evil-Lyn raised her wand at Teela who quickly kicked it away. Tri-clops ran at Man-at-Arms, while Trap-Jaw went right to He-Man with his gun blasting. He-Man avoided his shots and blocked what came near him with his sword. He started making his way to the villain and said, "You're going to have to do better than that."

"I intend to," said Trap-Jaw, who suddenly jumped at He-Man and flung himself into him.

"Oomph!" He-Man let out as Trap-Jaw's shoulder rammed into his gut and they crashed to the ground.

Trap-Jaw quickly got up and He-Man took this opportunity to grab onto his leg and trip him. He-Man got to his feet shaking slightly while Skeletor watched. Quickly, Trap-Jaw was back on his feet and shot another ray at He-Man.

This enraged Skeletor, realizing physicality might do better considering He-Man's condition. "No, you, fool! Must I do everything myself!" Skeletor made his Havoc Staff disappear and ran at He-Man from behind. "I've got you now, He-Man," cried Skeletor as he stepped behind He-Man and drove his fist into his adversary’s side.

He-Man immediately yelled in pain, turned around, grabbed Skeletor, picked him up, and threw him at Trap-Jaw who did his best to catch his master with one arm.

After shaking the cobwebs off for several seconds, Skeletor stood and made his staff reappear. "I'm not done with you yet, He-Man!" he cried.

He pointed his staff at a nearby hawk and made it at least a hundred times larger than it was. "Beastman!" Skeletor yelled at the figure crawling up the embankment.

Beastman gave the creature his command and instantly the bird was flying at He-Man.

"Watch out!" yelled Duncan, who finally gained the upper hand with Tri-clops and had put him and Evil-Lyn in a port-a-prison.

He-Man jumped out of the way of the flying creature and rolled on the ground. Almost immediately, the bird was on him again and this time caught him with his massive claws. He started struggling against the animal but to no avail.

"He-Man!" Duncan, Teela, and the Sorceress yelled simultaneously.

Skeletor raised his hands in victory and laughed devilishly. "I told you I have you now, He-Man! But incase you didn't believe me before, I think you'll believe it now!" He raised his staff at the bird and almost instantly, the hawk became its normal size and He-Man fell to the ground at a high-rate of speed.

"I must break his fall!" said the Sorceress.

"Oh, no, you don't!" yelled Skeletor and shot a beam at her. The Sorceress dodged Skeletor's efforts and held He-Man as best as she could with her powers until he landed with a small thud onto the drawbridge.

He-Man laid there for a second, breathing deeply, before forcing himself to get up.

Beastman walked up to Skeletor, still wiping the mud off of him and asked, "Why did you let He-Man go? We could have won."

"Patience," replied Skeletor, holding his hand up to silence him. "I have seen enough for tonight." He disappeared without a word and took all his minions with him.

"He-Man, are you all right?" questioned Duncan as Teela and King Randor ran to them.

"Yeah," he answered. "I'm fine. I'm still a little sore from yesterday, but nothing time won't cure."

He-Man breathed in sharply and Randor looked at him in surprise, "What? You, too? You got hurt yesterday?"

He-Man looked up and realized he said too much, "Uh, yes, your majesty."

"What happened?" asked Randor; "And, did it involve my son?"

"Your son?" repeated He-Man, desperately wanting to get away from Randor, not only because of his questions, but he was tired of hiding the pain he was currently in.

"Yes, Prince Adam."

"No, he wasn't involved yesterday. Why do you ask?" he said hastily as he headed back towards Grayskull.

Randor started following him. "He's been sore since yesterday, too, and he says he doesn't remember what happened. I'm starting to wonder if whatever happened to you is related to whatever happened to him."

He-Man turned to him wide-eyed and said, "I don't see how."

"I do," came a voice from inside Grayskull.

Everyone jumped at the sudden interruption and walked towards the Sorceress.

"It is related?" asked Randor, walking to her with much hope in his eyes. He needed to know what happened to his son.

"Yes," she answered. "He-Man stopped a magic orb yesterday from destroying Grayskull. It exploded and Adam was in the range of that explosion, I'm afraid. That's why he's so sore and not able to remember anything."

He-Man sighed in relief that the Sorceress came up with a believable explanation and one that was somewhat true. "And, with that," he said slowly, "I need to be going."

Randor watched as He-Man left and walked by the AttakTrak. He then turned around and said, "Now, I need to go find that son of mine."

"Yes, we do," said Teela eagerly.

The Sorceress immediately responded by saying, "Adam's already outside. He ran out during the battle after Cringer. I believe they got inside the AttakTrak."

Teela's jaw dropped. "Adam ran out while the battle was taking place? I didn't even see him! What has gotten into him?" She immediately ran for the vehicle, while Man-at-Arms looked at the Sorceress and mouthed, "Thank you."

She nodded.

=)=)=)

Teela glared inside the AttakTrak at the figure who was sitting in the backseat with his face pointed towards the ceiling of the vehicle, one arm around his midsection, and his other hand absentmindedly scratching the tiger beside him. "There you are!" she said, angrily as she opened the vehicle.

"Hi, Teela," replied Adam tiredly.

"Oh, don't you 'Hi, Teela' me!" she snapped. "Do you have any idea how foolish you've been today?"

He brought his head down, looked at the captain, and asked, "What did I do, now?"

"What did you do?" she shrieked. "You should know! You ran out here during the battle to chase Cringer. You could have been killed! I don't even know how I missed seeing you, much less Skeletor. What if he came after you? You really need to start thinking about your actions, Adam. You're already hurt because you don't think before you act."

"What is that supposed to mean?" he asked slightly offended at her words.

Teela got in the back and sat beside him as Cringer got into the floorboard. "Oh, I don't know," she admitted. "I'm just…this is the second time you've scared me in less than a twenty-four hour period. I don't like it, Adam. I don't like you getting hurt and I don't like you endangering yourself, at least not when I'm unable to protect you. I was so preoccupied with Evil-Lyn that I didn't even notice you. What if…"

"I'm fine, Teela. Nothing happened," he assured her.

"That's not the point, Adam! Do you realize how many people would be devastated if something happened to you? I wouldn't be able to live with myself…"

He interrupted her. "No one would blame you, Teela. You're the best bodyguard in all of Eternia."

She widened her eyes and stared at him as if he had grown a second head.

He fidgeted under her scrutiny and questioned, "Uh, Teela?"

"Do you think that's the only reason why we're having this conversation?" she spat; "Because I'm afraid of what people will think about me if something happens to you?"

He opened his mouth, but Teela shook her head vigorously and said, "Well, let me tell you something, Prince Adam, that is NOT that case."

He was about to question what the case was when King Randor and Man-at-Arms climbed inside the AttakTrak.

"Well," Randor said, "I'm glad to see that everyone is no worse for wear after the encounter with Skeletor. How are you feeling, Adam?"

Adam turned away from Teela and answered, "Fine, Father. I'm still a little sore, especially after running after Cringer so much but I'm okay."

Randor turned around, eyed Cringer, and said to Adam, "Maybe the both of you need to take it easy for a while. No excitement. No worries. Just rest and relaxation."

"S-sounds good to me," said Cringer enthusiastically.

Adam looked towards Grayskull and thought to himself, "Sounds good, not possible."

\---

 


	5. Concerns Continue

Noticing Adam Chapter 5

Marlena stood in her bedchamber staring at her reflection in the mirror. So many thoughts were plaguing her: she thought about Adam's constant disappearing and behavior over the past few weeks. She thought about Randor's disapproval of Adam during those times and even before. Eventually, her thoughts drifted to Randor and Adam’s trip to Castle Grayskull. She wondered what she would find out when they returned. As sad as it was for a mother to say, Marlena didn't believe Adam when he said he didn't remember anything that had happened yesterday. She knew her son well enough to know when he wasn't being honest. She had years of practice catching the subtle signs: he would stutter and look around elsewhere while trying to find a suitable and rational explanation.

"He's been doing that a lot over the last few years, far more than I'm accustomed to in recent weeks," she thought to herself.

That's what was really bothering her. She had always known since Adam had matured that he had secrets he had to keep hidden. She had accepted that fact a long time ago. That's why she never really questioned Adam on his whereabouts when he left and reappeared. The last month or so made her rethink her decision—she began to notice that his disappearances were becoming more frequent than she liked and his tiredness was becoming much of a concern.

She remembered the one time she had questioned Adam on his tardiness to dinner. He had been missing all day and no one in the palace had seen him. She hadn’t heard about anything of importance happening anywhere on Eternia that day, so when he finally showed up offering his apologies to them, and especially to Orko for interrupting his latest magic routine, she actually asked him where he had been. The response she received was the one she had expected, but it nonetheless saddened her. He stuttered and talked such nonsense that wasn't even remotely coherent and then silenced as if he offered up some truly vital information and didn't have anything else left to say on the matter. She had glanced at Randor, who clearly thought their son had been off having "fun" again and told Orko to continue with his show.

She didn't know what was worse. Was it Adam's constant running off without a word to anyone or was it Randor's blindness to the situation concerning their son? Oh, he was well aware of it now because she pointed it out to him, and now it was consuming his every thought. But did that really make up for his lack of understanding and patience with their son? Did it make up for the fact that he didn’t notice before she pointed it out to him in the first place? Did it make up for the fact that Randor did not know who their son really was? 

As much as she hated the notion, Marlena couldn't help but wonder if Randor was why their son had become so withdrawn recently. Did he run off and hide every little thing from them because he was worried about what his father would think? She knew it was possible. Every time Randor chastised Adam for his tardiness, clumsiness, or whatever else happened to be the case, she noticed Adam's ever constant response of lowering his head and closing his eyes almost as if he were submitting and accepting his father's words as gospel towards his character.

She shook her head and finally walked away from the mirror to the window so she could look outside. She immediately gasped. Randor, Adam, Cringer, Duncan, and Teela were climbing out of the AttakTrak—they were back from Castle Grayskull.

Marlena quickly ran out of the room and headed towards the courtyard. She couldn't wait to reach them and possibly find out what was going on with her son.

=)=)=)

Randor let out a great sigh of relief as he watched Adam and Teela exit the AttakTrak. He was glad that the Sorceress, once and for all, put a stop to all the worries he had about Adam's whereabouts yesterday and whether he was lying to him or not. He had the impulse to hug him, but before he could, he noticed Marlena running from the palace.

"You're back!" she yelled to no one in particular.

Adam looked at her and replied jokingly, "Yes, and you're acting like you haven't seen us in years."

At Adam's words, Marlena stopped her feverish pace and looked around at everyone sheepishly. "I'm sorry," she said, softly. "It's just that…"

Adam laughed wholeheartedly for the first time she had heard in ages. He walked over to her, hugged her, and whispered, "No need to explain. I'm glad you're happy to see me."

Marlena hugged her son tightly and peered over at Randor who had a big toothy grin on his face. She smiled as she pulled back and said, "So I take it everything's good, then? No need to referee between you and your father?"

Adam gave her a confused look and said, "Since when have you ever played referee between Father and me?"

She chuckled and said, "You know what I mean. Well?"

He nodded and said, "Everything's fine."

"Good to hear," she said beaming a smile at him.

Adam smiled back and they suddenly heard a large rumble, almost like a growl. Adam laughed and said, "Um, excuse me. I haven't eaten since you brought me that lunch this morning. I'm starving."

"Thank Goodness," Cringer piped in. "I'm starving, too."

The queen laughed and said, "Run along and get ready for dinner. I had the kitchen staff keeping it warm until you arrived home."

Adam immediately walked towards one of the palace's entrances with Cringer following close behind.

Marlena smiled and finally made her way to Randor. "He seems like the old Adam, so full of life and carefree. I can tell he's still a little tired and sore, but I know he'll be okay." She looked into her husband's eyes and asked, "So, did the Sorceress tell you what was going on with that dear son of ours?"

Randor smiled as he grabbed his wife's hand and started walking towards the palace. He was glad he was the one giving her the news: "Yes, it turns out Adam was telling the truth about yesterday. He really doesn't remember what happened. Skeletor was up to some of his old tricks again and sent a magic orb to destroy Castle Grayskull. Luckily, He-Man stopped and destroyed it. There was some kind of explosion and unfortunately Adam was in the range of it…He-Man is awfully sore, too. Skeletor attacked Grayskull while we were there and you could tell He-Man was in pain while he was fighting. He was trying to hide it, of course. I hope Skeletor didn't notice."

Marlena nodded and seemed stunned when she asked, “He-Man was in pain, too?” When Randor nodded, she breathed deeply to calm herself and continued, “What else did you find out?"

Randor paused in his movements, looked at her, and questioned, "Was I supposed to find out more?"

She sighed. He obviously didn't make the connection that was right there in front of his face. He was going back to being unaware and unobservant. He had found out what supposedly happened yesterday, so he was already forgetting about the larger picture. She would have to remind him yet again. She frowned and replied sadly, "No, I guess not. You went there to find out what happened yesterday. It's just that I was hoping she would tell you about all the other times, as well."

"The other times?" he asked.

 She opened her eyes wide as she stared at her husband and said in louder voice, "Randor! You know as well as I do that this isn't the first time Adam has run off! You said so yourself that Man-at-Arms admitted to helping Adam when he was in trouble in the past without our knowledge."

He shook his head quickly and looked behind him to see Man-at-Arms and Teela following in the distance. He shushed the queen and whispered, "I never said Duncan admitted to it. I just said he didn't deny it."

"Same thing," she replied adamantly. "Regardless, the point is that despite what we do know for certain now, we're still no closer to knowing what is going on with our son, Randor. Doesn't that bother you?"

He thought silently for a few seconds before nodding and saying, "Yes, it does. I was just so happy to learn that he was telling the truth about yesterday that I forgot about the larger picture. I guess I'm going to have to talk to him again."

"Do you think talking to him will get anything done?" she asked doubtfully, as they resumed walking to the dining room.

Randor's face became one of stone and he said firmly, "I can't just stand idly by and do nothing. I have to try."

=)=)=)

Randor and Marlena walked into the dining room with Teela and Man-at-Arms following a few feet behind. Adam was already there and as soon as he saw them, he chuckled and said, "Hey, for once, I beat all of you!"

Teela laughed at Adam's expression because he seemed genuinely pleased with himself. "Never mind the fact that we're having dinner _later_ than usual because of him," she thought to herself. She shook her head as she sat down and looked at everyone else. Her father's lips were slightly upturned, so he was obviously thinking along the same lines she was. She, then, looked at the king and queen and paused. They weren't grinning. In fact, they looked kind of worried.

She cleared her throat and asked, "Is everything all right, Your Majesties?"

Instantly, Marlena and Randor tore their gazes away from Adam, just as everyone else looked at them.

"Yes," Randor said, softly. "Everything is quite all right. Why do you ask, Captain?"

Teela shrugged and said, "Oh, I don't know. Forgive me for putting you on the spot. You just seemed troubled."

He nodded and said, "I've had a lot on my mind recently."

Adam quickly entered the conversation. "Is there anything I can do to help, Father?"

Randor turned his complete attention to his son, who was obviously concerned, and said, "Probably."

Despite the fact he had offered to help, Adam was surprised at his father's response. His father did frequently include him in matters of the kingdom because he was the prince, after all. He would one day rule, but when it came down to concerning matters, his father never wanted his help. He preferred Duncan's help or even He-Man's help. Prince Adam was never on the totem pole. This immediately told him this was a personal matter. He lowered his head and looked down at his plate as the kitchen crew came out to serve their meal.

Randor stared at his son for several seconds before asking, "Well, are you going to ask me how?"

Adam looked up and smiled at the attendant who served him his plate. He, then, looked at his father and said, "I'm sorry, Father. I just got the impression that it was a personal matter and that it was something…" He paused to look at Man-at-Arms and Teela. "…that you might prefer to talk about in private."

Man-at-Arms immediately nodded at Adam's assessment while Teela's brow furrowed.

As for the king, he opened his mouth to respond when suddenly Orko appeared at the center of the table. "Good evening, ladies and lords," he said, happily. "Even though we're having dinner later than usual, I thought we could still use a little magic."

Adam watched as his father turned away from him to watch the Trollan try to perform his latest tricks.

=)=)=)

The next morning Adam woke up and was thankful he didn't have any surprise visitors in his room. He turned over and looked down on the floor beside his bed. Cringer was sleeping and snoring softly. He smiled, sat up, and said, "Come on, Cringer, it's time to get up."

Cringer opened one lazy eye and said after a yawn, "Ah, come on, Adam. Can't we just sleep all day?"

He laughed and stated, "We did that yesterday."

"No, w-w-we fought Skeletor yesterday. That's hardly sleeping the day away" was his reply.

Adam shook his head. "And, how would I explain my laziness to everyone? Maybe you can get away with sleeping all day, but I can't, especially not right now."

He crawled out of bed, rolled his neck around a couple of times to get the kinks out, and then quickly went to his wardrobe to put on his common attire. Once he stepped out of his room fully dressed, he saw Teela walking down the hall towards the throne room. "Teela!" he yelled as he ran towards her, smiling.

Teela kept walking even as Adam reached her.

"Good morning," he said, with a soft smile.

She glanced sideways at him but kept walking silently.

Immediately, he frowned and touched her shoulder, stopping her forward progress. "Teela, what's the matter?"

Finally, she turned her head and looked straight at him. "Nothing, Adam. What makes you think something is wrong?"

"Let's see, the fact that you were ignoring me and now you're snapping at me. You always acted like this when we were kids and you were mad at me for something I had done. Don't tell me you're still angry at me for getting hurt. It wasn't my fault. If we can blame anyone, let's blame He-Man. He's the one who made the orb explode."

Teela gawked at her childhood friend and repeated in a shrill voice, "Let's blame He-Man!"

He shook his head and exclaimed, "I'm only kidding, Teela!"

Teela stomped off and snapped, "That's some sense of humor you have, Adam! I don't find that funny one bit. He-Man doesn't deserve any of the blame for you getting hurt. It's Skeletor's fault and maybe even yours, because you were the one who put you in the vicinity…"

"Teela," he started, walking after her quickly.

"Oh, never mind, Adam," she snapped at him. "I'm not even mad about that, anymore."

He ran in front of her, stopped her by grabbing her shoulders again, and asked, "Then, what is it? What did I do?"

She slowly left his grasp, walked to a nearby window, and looked outside. He followed her. "Teela," he pushed softly.

She sighed and said, "You didn't do anything, I suppose. It's just that I thought we were friends and that you trusted me. I am your bodyguard, after all. You trust me with your life…I guess I was just surprised to learn that you don't trust me with what's going on in it. I got so mad…"

He shook his head quickly and said, "Wait, I'm confused. We are friends, Teela. What in the name of the Ancients, are we talking about?"

She stepped in front of him with a stubborn expression adorning her face. "Yesterday, when your father wanted to talk about whatever was troubling him, you stopped him because Father and I were in the room. Do you have any idea how that made me feel? It made me feel like I wasn't supposed to be there or welcomed. If that's the way you feel, _Prince_ Adam, all you had to do was say so. I won't attend anymore dinners or…"

He quickly stopped her rant by putting a large finger to her mouth. "Teela, you are more than welcomed at the dinner table. I didn't mean to make you feel that way. It's just that…" Now, it was his turn to sigh and look out over the kingdom. He looked back at her and said, "Maybe you've noticed that things have been a little stressed with me and my parents recently."

Her hard expression melted as she replied, "No, not really. I know they are concerned because of your latest mishap, but we all were."

He shook his head and said, "Well, that's not all that's going on."

She rubbed Adam's arm and whispered, "What is it, Adam? Talk to me."

He smiled and stated somewhat sadly, "We haven't really talked about our real troubles with each other since we were kids."

"I know," she agreed, “and I think it's something we should resume. I always find myself wondering what's going on with you, especially recently. I mean, you are my best friend, and it's odd that I don't know what's going on in your head half the time anymore."

Adam laughed and replied, "Teela, you're my best friend, too, but I never knew what was going on in your head even when we were kids, so I don't expect that to be changing anytime soon!"

She chuckled softly and pushed on his shoulder playfully. "Come on, Adam, talk."

He did as asked. "Basically, the reason why I told my father we should talk about whatever was troubling him in private was because I knew it more than likely dealt with me…and well, I didn't really want to talk about it."

"What do you mean, and what makes you think that?"

He sighed and answered, "Recently, my parents have this weird notion that I'm hiding something from them. They question where I go and why I'm so tired all the time. This has been me for years, and they've never suspected anything before, so why now?"

She nodded and answered, "Well, you have been disappearing more frequently recently. I've wondered where you've been running off to myself. But of course, I know you. Monkey business is your specialty and number one pursuit."

"Why don't you tell my parents that?" he asked bitterly.

"Why don't you?" she countered. "Just tell them the truth and they'll get off your back. It's not that hard of a situation…unless you're ashamed of your actions. In that case, you need to change, Adam. You have to admit you should take a more active role in the kingdom and not goof off so much."

He wanted to get mad at her. He did take an active role in the kingdom, and monkey business was most definitely NOT his number one pursuit or priority, but that was what he led everyone to think. How could he get mad at her for believing what he wanted her to? He sighed and replied, "If it were only that easy, Teela."

"Of course, it is! Just stop running off so much. Fun is all well and good, but we have more serious things to do here. The well-being of Eternia and your people should be your number one priority. Maybe if you start showing a change for the better in these areas, your parents will get off your back…and so will I."

He looked at her sadly and said, "If only…"

He was interrupted.

"Adam," they heard a voice say behind them.

Adam and Teela turned around to see the king and queen walking towards them.

Adam took a deep breath. His parents had impeccable timing. He replied, "Good morning, Mother. Good morning, Father." Teela immediately echoed the greeting.

"Good morning," Randor said cheerfully. He looked out the window and said, "Today is a beautiful day…a perfect day to just walk around and talk." He then looked at the Captain of the Guard and said, "Teela, would you please excuse us? I need to speak with the prince. I didn't have the opportunity last night since he ran off to his chambers so quickly after dinner."

She nodded and said, "Yes, your majesty." She leaned close to Adam and whispered, "Just tell the truth and then tell them you will change." She then walked off and headed towards her father's lab.

Adam watched Teela leave feeling like he was being left alone on a battlefield with no help in sight. "You want to talk to me, Father?" he asked softly when Teela disappeared around the corner.

Randor nodded and replied, "Yes. I wanted to continue the conversation we started yesterday."

Adam swallowed and said, "Father, I thought the Sorceress straightened this all out. I'm not hiding anything from you…"

"Yes, we know that you're not hiding anything about what happened to you two days ago, but we have more questions about other times," Marlena interrupted, tired of walking around the issue and getting straight to the point.

Adam widened his eyes. His thoughts were clearly written on his face: _You, too, mother?_

Randor stepped in front of Adam, blocking his view of his mother. "Adam," he said in an authoritative tone.

Adam immediately shook his head and said, "Look, I already know what you're going to say. You're going to preach to me that I should take more of an interest in the kingdom and that I should grow up. You'll say that I should spend more time learning how to run things incase something happens to you. You'll even say I should spend more time sparring with Teela, so I can defend myself if the need ever arises. You'll then question me about where I run off to all the time when I say I was out having fun. Am I right?"

Randor nodded and answered, "You are."

Adam also nodded and continued, "Yes, we've been over this many times. I will be ready when my time comes to sit on the throne, Father. I know you disapprove of me having my fun, but I do it because I know when I become king, I won't have that luxury anymore. You're always so busy and I just want to have a little freedom before I'm tied down to all the responsibility I will one day have. Don't you understand that?"

"I do understand that, Adam," said Randor. "I just have the feeling that something else is going on here."

"Like what? What else could possibly be going on here?"

"I don't know, Adam," Marlena piped in. "That's the whole point. I've been watching you for a while now. You're always so secretive about where you run off to. Even now you're not really talking about it. In fact, you NEVER do. You run off constantly, not just during battles, and you always come back claiming you were out having fun. But, where are your friends during those particular times? Who do you have this fun with? It isn't Teela. It isn't Man-at-Arms for the most part."

"Cringer!" he answered defensively.

"What could you and Cringer be doing that is so fun that it's worth all this hassle…that it's worth our suspicion?" asked Randor. "What is so fun that it makes up for the fact that people call you a coward, uninterested, and not a very good prince?"

Adam's head popped up with that last statement. "Do you think I'm not a good prince?"

"I didn't say that."

"Then what's all this?" Adam yelled loudly, surprised at his own outburst, but he kept going. He held his arms wide and asked, "Are you hounding me because I'm an embarrassment to you and Mother? What I do is MY BUSINESS, not yours. Just because I'm an embarrassment as a son and prince to you, it doesn't give you the right…"

"Doesn't give me the right?" questioned the king angrily. "Young man, I am your father, so it gives me every right to worry about you and wonder what you're doing and if you're safe. It gives me every right to question you on your whereabouts and what you're doing with your life. I have every right because you will inherit my throne and responsibilities."

Adam looked at them and breathed in deeply. He closed his eyes and whispered angrily, "I'm here, aren't I? I'm not dead or hurt. If I was putting myself in danger, wouldn't you have had an inkling before now? Wouldn't I have needed you for help?"

"Not if you’re getting that help elsewhere from someone who is obligated to protect you," answered Marlena softly. "Like Man-at-Arms. He's a trustworthy man and a great friend. I've noticed that you two have become very close over the years. You're together a lot, more than he and Randor are." She touched Adam's shoulder and said, "He's very loyal. I know from experience that if you ask him to keep a secret, he'll do it. How do you explain the fact that when your father questioned him if he had ever helped you when you were hurt without our knowledge that he didn't answer? If this had never happened his answer would have immediately been no. So, we ask again, Adam, what's going on with you?"

Suddenly all of the anger drained out of Adam as he stared at his parents sadly, "Do you trust me?"

Randor looked him in the eye and with tears in his eyes answered, "I do and I want to, but I'm starting to wonder how can I trust someone who doesn't trust me?"

Adam immediately looked down and said, "I see," before walking as quickly as he could down the corridor, away from his parents.


	6. A Decision Made

 

Noticing Adam Chapter 6

King Randor and Queen Marlena gasped simultaneously as Adam walked away from them.

"Adam!" Marlena called out but Adam kept going.

She was about to run after him, but Randor grabbed her arm and said, "Let him go."

"But, Randor!" she cried.

As Adam disappeared around the corner, she wrenched her arm away from her husband and asked angrily, "What has gotten into you? Did you see the look in Adam's eyes just now? He's heartbroken and your only response is to let him go?"

"He needs time to cool down," explained Randor; "He needs time to think about what he's doing and if it's worth all of this, Marlena. I have faith that our son will make the right decision. He'll come to us and tell us what has been bothering him and what he's been hiding."

Marlena shook her head and said, "I don't think so. I think we just drove him away and pushed him further into his shell."

=)=)=)

The door slammed and Adam immediately pressed his back against it. He felt drained and wanted nothing more than to crawl in to bed and never wake up. The only problem was he didn't feel like he could make it to the bed. With his back still pressed tightly against the door, he slid down to floor. He instinctively brought his knees to his chest and wrapped his arms around them in a protective posture he hadn't been in since he was a young boy.

He was afraid. He was afraid that his parents would discover his secret. There was no telling what would happen if that happened. Would they be proud? Would they be angry because he had kept them in the dark for so long? Would they try to stop He-Man from battling Skeletor if they knew he was really Prince Adam? Would they be able to keep the secret and not slip up in any way which would make others pause? That's what the Sorceress feared, he knew. What parent would want his or her child to battle the very essence of evil day in and day out? It was dangerous; he could die during any of Skeletor's plots. He knew that, and they would know it, too, if they knew the truth.

But that wasn't the only thing he was afraid of. He was afraid of losing his parents' trust and respect.

Adam felt tears slipping down his cheeks and he wiped them away with disgust. "Who am I kidding?" he asked himself silently. "They don't trust me…and they certainly don't respect me. How could they? They said so themselves--I'm a terrible prince in their eyes."

He got up and walked to his mirror. He looked at his swollen red eyes and the streaks tears had left on his face in their absence. He shook his head and banged the dresser chest before him as he hunched over it in self-pity.

"A-Adam?" came a questioning voice behind him.

Adam squeezed his eyes shut but breathed deeply to calm what he knew would be a shaky voice. "Yes?" he asked. It was the only thing he could muster at the moment.

"What's wrong?" asked Cringer, finally getting up from the rug where he had intended to rest all day. He walked beside Adam and stood there silently, waiting for an answer.

After they stood there for several seconds silently, Adam finally turned and walked away from his pet. He sat down in his favorite green chair which faced the doorway and away from Cringer. Finally, he spoke. "Everything's wrong," he choked out. He looked down at his hands, shook his head, and said, "What good is power, Cringer, when it turns your entire life upside down? No good ever comes out of having power. I know that better than anyone. It destroys you regardless of how you use that power or why. Look at Skeletor. It drives him to prey on the weak, and yet, he never gets anywhere. He doesn't have a life. He's always devising the next big plan to defeat He-Man and take over Castle Grayskull. What kind of life is that? Look at my father. Sure, he has power and uses it for all the right reasons, but it drives him away from us, from his family. Then, there's the Sorceress, who has a multitude of power, but she can never leave Grayskull without the threat of being killed. She can't take her powers with her wherever she wishes to go. It keeps her trapped in confinement. People are allowed to go in, but she can never go out to simply enjoy life and Eternia. She couldn't even raise her daughter whom she loves more than anyone alive. And, then there's me…"

Cringer walked over cautiously, rested his head on Adam's knee, and repeated, "And, then th-there's you."

Adam nodded. "I'm the strongest man in the universe." He shook his head and added sarcastically, "I have the power. But look at everything that power has cost me. I'm the laughing stock of Eternia. My parents don't respect or trust me. They probably never did. The same can be said about Teela. She's the only woman that I…" He stopped his words as he petted Cringer and forced himself to grin. "But I know it's for the good of Eternia and the ones that I love."

They sat there silently for several minutes before Cringer finally lifted his head from his master's knee and asked, "Wh-what happened, Adam? I've never heard you talk like this before. It scares me."

Adam only shook his head in response.

=)=)=)

Teela walked towards her father's workshop with a genuine smile on her face. She couldn't remember when she had last been this cheerful. When she finally strolled into the workshop, she was humming and swinging her arms happily in her long stride. "Hello, Father. Hello, Orko," she said happily to the room's two occupants.

"Hi, Teela," replied Orko enthusiastically as Man-at-Arms studied his daughter carefully.

"What are you two up to? Did you get the new Skyspy up and running?"

Orko floated to Teela and said, "Man-at-Arms was just telling me not to go near it this time."

Teela laughed and said, "Yes, and I agree with him. Who knows what planet you'll land on next time if you do!"

"Nah-uh," Orko said, shaking his head wildly. "There's no way I'm going near that thing. I've learned my lesson…even though I did make two new friends."

"Orko," Teela warned but with a smile still covering her face. "Don't even go there or think about it. It's better to stay out of all potential trouble. Isn't that right, Father?"

Man-at-Arms rubbed his chin thoughtfully and said, "You're absolutely right, Teela."

Teela nodded and walked, still humming, to her father's monitor which looked out towards the launch pad. Man-at-Arms followed her and asked, "What has gotten you so happy today?"

"Huh?" she asked but then quickly exclaimed, "Oh!" She shrugged and answered, "It's nothing really. It's just that I had a wonderful talk with Adam this morning." She got a faraway look and smiled.

"That's great," replied Orko happily, clapping his hands. "What did you talk about?"

"I was going to ask the same thing," said Duncan.

Teela's smile grew bigger and she replied, "Things, just things that have been on his mind. You know, Adam and I haven't discussed anything personal in a long time. We usually only discuss He-Man, Skeletor, or his combat lessons nowadays. You know, things like that. But today, Adam opened up to me. I had started to think I had lost him somewhere between being his best childhood friend and becoming his bodyguard and Captain of the Royal Guard."

She looked at her father and complained, "It was short lived, however, because the king and queen interrupted us. They wanted to talk to Adam."

"The king and queen?" asked Duncan nervously. "They're talking to Adam, now?"

She stared at her father, curious at the worry she heard in his voice. "Yes, the king asked me to leave and I came straight here. Why?"

Man-at-Arms turned away and said, "No reason. I'm just curious what they had to talk to him about."

"Oh, well, I can answer that."

Duncan whirled around and gasped, "You can?"

She nodded. "They're discussing what Adam can do to help the king."

Duncan and Orko looked at each other with confused expressions.

Teela rolled her eyes and explained, "Remember at dinner last night when the king told Adam he could probably help him with what has been troubling him recently, and then Orko showed up? That's what they're discussing now."

"Oh," Duncan said, turning away and looking worriedly at the door.

"Hey, no fair!" cried Orko. "I want to know, too! What's troubling the king and what can Adam do to help?"

Teela smirked and said, "I guess we'll find out when Adam gets through talking to his father."

=)=)=)

Duncan walked towards the prince's bedchambers nervously. Adam and Cringer didn't show up to breakfast and the king and queen didn't question or even mention it. He knew in his bones something horrible had happened. And, what's worse, he knew that horrible something had nothing to do with Skeletor and any of his henchmen. No, it dealt with Adam and his parents.

He stood in front of Adam's door and looked both ways. With no one coming, he took a deep breath and knocked. "Oh, please, be there," he whispered to himself.

He waited for several seconds before knocking again and then opening the door slightly. "Adam," he called out into the darkness the room was engulfed in.

Suddenly he heard a raw voice that could barely be recognized belonging to the prince. "Did I give you permission to enter?"

Man-at-Arms opened the door, went inside, and closed it behind him. "Since when have you ever made me acquire permission?" he asked, facing the prince after flipping on the overhead lights.

Adam was still sitting in his favorite green chair with Cringer laying down beside it. He avoided Duncan's gaze and answered, "Since now. Leave, Man-at-Arms. I want to be left alone."

Duncan stared at Adam and could see the inner turmoil shining in his tear-bright eyes. "I can't do that, Adam, and leave with a clear conscience. I know you talked to your parents earlier. Teela told me."

Adam brought his arms up to rest on his elbows, folded his hands in front of his face, and leaned his forehead against them. "And?"

Duncan frowned, dropped to his knees in front of Adam, and said, "Remember what I told you yesterday before we went to Grayskull?"

Adam dropped his arms and finally met Duncan's eyes with a questioning look.

He explained, "I told you that I would help you solve any problem and I'm here for you. You're not alone, Adam. I know things seem rough right now, son, but things will get better."

Adam sighed and looked away.

"I can't help if you won't tell me what's going on, Adam. You've said that enough to others who are in trouble. Let me help you."

Adam stayed quiet until Cringer could take no more. He stood up and pleaded, "Adam, p-p-please talk to us. Let us help you. We've always been in this t-t-together."

Those words made Adam whip his head towards the tiger. He smiled affectionately at the animal, petted him, and said, "You're right. We have always been in this together." He paused for a moment as he scratched behind Cringer's ears. "Thank you for reminding me."

Wiping his eyes for what seemed like the hundredth time in disgust and embarrassment, he looked at Man-at-Arms and said, "My parents don't trust me. They think I'm a coward, an uninterested nobody, and a horrible prince."

Duncan immediately shook his head. "They don't think that."

"Father said people think that about me. When I questioned if he and Mother felt that way, he didn't deny it. They're ashamed of me. I don't think Father as any faith in me as a future ruler. I've never made him proud and I probably never will. I know he loves me. He loves me because I'm his son…but that's the only reason."

Duncan shook his head. "That simply isn't true, Adam."

"Why isn't it?" he asked. "I've given him no reason to be proud of me. He-Man has all the glory and respect. He-Man has the adoration of Eternia's people and the ones I love. He is…everything I'll never be."

"But he is you," insisted Duncan as he took the chance and touched Adam's arm to give him a sense of comfort.

"No one knows that!" replied Adam. "They probably never will." He abruptly stood and Man-at-Arms had to stumble back in order to avoid being hit. He watched as Adam walked over to his window and looked out over Eternia. "But I have to do something," he whispered. He pounded his fist on the windowsill and thought about what Teela had said to him earlier: _You need to change, Adam_.

Adam nodded and said to himself, "She's right! All I need to do is stop sleeping so much during the day and stop running off when I'm actually going out to have fun. If I'm always professional and everything my parents could ask for in a prince, maybe they'll get off my back when I do disappear to be He-Man. They'll just think I'm off having fun, but at least it won't be as often as it is now. Surely, they will expect me to go off and have fun by myself every once in a while, so they won't question my whereabouts. And, besides, they might not even notice when I disappear if things are chaotic enough."

Adam nodded to himself and immediately committed himself to his plans. Of course, there was that little nagging voice in the back of his mind that was questioning what would happen if he became too tired or too overwhelmed with both acts he would now be performing during all waking hours of the day, but he couldn't afford to think about that. He just knew he had to do it and succeed. It was the only way.

He turned around to Man-at-Arms, took a big breath, and said, "I'm going to show my parents that there's more to Prince Adam than laziness and goofiness, starting today." He rounded his shoulders and strode proudly to the door. "Are you coming?" he asked Duncan and Cringer.

Man-at-Arms and Cringer looked at each other hesitantly before following Adam.


	7. Plans Rarely Turn Out as Anticipated

 

Noticing Adam Chapter 7

The lunch hour had come and everyone who was accustomed to eating with the Royal Family was seated and waiting for their meal…everyone, except for Prince Adam and Cringer.

Queen Marlena could hardly look at anyone. She kept her eyes glued to the plate in front of her and avoided everyone's gazes. She was ashamed of what she and Randor had done to their son that morning. She never meant for any of her concerns or inquiries to hurt Adam, and she knew that was precisely what had happened. She glanced over at Randor who felt her stare and turned to try to smile at her. His attempt failed miserably. She knew he could feel the tension and despair she had bubbling inside of her. She sighed as she shifted her gaze once again to Adam's empty seat.

Man-at-Arms watched the king and queen silently from his seat. He knew they were overwhelmed and consumed with thoughts of the prince. He wanted so badly to shake them and tell them to leave the boy alone, but he couldn't do that. He couldn't blame them for being worried about Adam. He knew if Teela did half the things Adam seemingly does, without the knowledge that he had of the situation, he might react the same way.

He watched as the queen frowned and once again looked down at her plate. He figured he should say something to ease the tension they felt right now. He coughed softly to clear his throat and said, "Excuse me, Your Majesties. Prince Adam informed me this morning that he would be a little late for lunch. There have been reports of blasts near the city of Drisdos and he went to check it out."

Before the king and queen could respond, Teela yelled, "What do you mean he went to check it out?" She glanced at the king and queen to see their astonished expressions. Feeling that she wasn't out of line, she continued, "He shouldn't have left the palace on such a mission without me!"

Duncan glanced at Teela and said, "Now, Teela, it isn't really a mission. Adam is more than capable of taking care of himself. Besides, who knows what the source of the noise really is."

Teela shook her head and said, "All the more reason why I should have went! I'm Adam's bodyguard. I've sworn to protect him, and I can't very well do that if I'm not there!"

Randor finally got over his initial shock and entered the conversation by saying angrily, "I have to agree with the captain, Duncan. He should have informed us of his actions and he should have taken Teela with him."

"I agree," Teela said loudly, nodding her agreement with the king's words.

Man-at-Arms flashed her a disapproving look and said lowly, "Hush, child."

The king continued his words despite Teela's interruption. The king shook his head, looked at Marlena, and said, "I will not have that son of mine running off and risking his life. What has gotten into him? He's never run off like this before. Usually he tries to stay clear of kingdom affairs."

Marlena whipped her head towards her husband and said, "I knew something like this was going to happen! This is our fault, Randor! We shouldn't have ambushed him the way we did this morning. We shouldn't have thrown our worries and other people's opinions of him in his face. Now, he's out trying to prove us wrong. If anything happens to him…"

Duncan quickly interrupted her and said, "My Queen, nothing is going to happen to Adam. I wouldn't have let him go if I thought he was in any danger. Besides, I'm sure if he ran into anything he couldn't handle, he'd use his Com-link for help."

Just as those words left his mouth, Adam walked into the dining room and said, "Oh, good. We haven't been served yet."

Upon hearing Adam's voice, everyone in the room turned to face the prince and the tiger right beside him.

"Adam!" Marlena exclaimed. She jumped up from her seat and threw her arms around him as soon as she reached him.

Adam hugged his mom, smiled, and said, "What's this all about?"

Teela immediately stood up, began tapping her feet, and said, "What's this about you running off to Drisdos all by yourself without any protection?"

Adam drew back from his mother and glanced quickly at Man-at-Arms who was already scowling his daughter. "I didn't need protection," he answered with a shrug as he walked to his chair, and Cringer went to his cushion near the wall.

The queen followed Adam and said, "You had us worried, Adam. We're not used to you running off like that, especially without someone who can help you."

Adam laughed incredulously for a moment and said, "Really? I was under the impression that you and Father believe I do it all the time."

The king narrowed his brow and said, "Young man, you know very well that this is an entirely different matter. Running off and having fun is one thing. Running off on a mission without your bodyguard is quite another."

Adam sighed and said, "Father, it wasn't a big deal. Some farmers near Drisdos found some large boulders they couldn't move on land they wanted to use for crops. They decided to blow them up into smaller pieces. Once I let the city officials know what the sounds were, everyone calmed down and things went back to normal. There was absolutely nothing dangerous…"

"But it could have been!" admonished Teela, finally sitting back down and glaring at Adam. "It could have been Skeletor doing only the Ancients know what."

"That's right," Randor piped back in. "You should have told me what you were doing. You should have taken Teela with you. What if you had gotten hurt? What if something had happened?"

Adam looked at everyone in the room and sighed. "So much for my brilliant idea. I can't make anyone happy no matter what I do," he muttered.

The Queen heard him and said, "I knew this had to do with what happened this morning! Adam, you don't need to prove anything to me. You KNOW that. I just want to know what's going on in your life. I want to know where you're running off to all the time! The answer isn't running off by yourself and doing more things that will wind up getting you hurt or killed!"

Adam leaned back in his seat and looked up at the ceiling. He felt tears pooling to his eyes, but he didn't want his parents or Teela to see him cry. He already felt embarrassed enough by everything that had been happening as of late without adding to it. He took a breath, closed his eyes, and immediately tilted his head towards his lap. He opened his eyes, and though he still kept his head down, he glanced towards his mother. He saw her worried expression and whispered, "I just wanted you and Father to be proud of me. I thought that if I took more of an interest in the kingdom and did some things, I wouldn't be such a disappointment and an embarrassment. The one time I do anything, and it wasn't even that big of a deal, all of you go crazy. What am I supposed to do?"

Marlena heard his words but was at a loss of what to say. This was starting to get a little out of control. She had started this only wanting Adam to open up a little more and for Randor to open his eyes.

Everyone was quiet until Teela said, "You should take more of an interest in the kingdom, but you should also know what the boundaries are. You should have consulted your father before you left and you should have taken me with you. You always act foolishly and irresponsibly, Adam! You always act before you think! I'm surprised it has taken this long for the king and queen to stop babying you!"

Man-at-Arms quickly grabbed Teela's arm and said, "That's enough. You've spoken out of line, Captain."

Before Duncan could get another word out, Adam jumped to his feet, pounded the table, glared at Teela, and snapped, "You're a fine one to be talking about acting foolishly! How many times have you run off on some foolish self-given mission and gotten into trouble?"

Teela's jaw dropped. She kept silent as she watched the anger pour into Adam's face. She had never seen him look so intimidating before. Because Adam was so meek and mild-mannered, she had forgotten how much of a strong and muscular man he really was.

Adam answered himself. "Too many to count, that's how many! He-Man always has to save you and clean up the messes you make, so how dare you act all high-and-mighty to me, Captain! The truth is you don't know anything about me or what I do, so keep your opinions to yourself!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, he regretted them. He watched as Teela lowered her eyes. Man-at-Arms and his parents looked up at him with their mouths wide open.

The side door opened and the kitchen staff started bringing in the food. Adam couldn't bear to stay in the room any longer, much less eat with them, so he quickly left.

=)=)=)

Adam didn't know where he was going or what he was going to do, but since Man-at-Arms had walked into his bedchambers uninvited that very morning, he knew he wouldn't be left alone there to think about it. So, instead of going there, he walked along outside the city walls to find a spot where he could sit down and stay a while when he heard a familiar cry of a falcon from the sky.

Adam looked up and saw Zoar. He immediately sighed and sat down.

Zoar flew down and rested on the prince’s knee. "I sensed a lot of turmoil in you today, Adam," said the Sorceress telepathically. "Are you all right?"

Adam looked at Zoar and shook his head. "Everything is just so messed up…" He paused and then stated, "I don't know what to do anymore." He suddenly looked away and continued, "I yelled at Teela, today. I didn't mean to. It's just that my parents are coming closer and closer to discovering my secret, and she's always criticizing me about everything. I guess I just lost it. My emotions are becoming harder and harder to control recently."

The Sorceress replied, "Your situation is a hard one, my friend. I know how hard it is to keep secrets. I also know how easy it is to let anger take control when you're scared. You're scared that your parents are going to discover your secret. You're scared of what they possibly think of you."

Adam nodded and agreed, "Yes, among other things."

"Your parents are very proud of you, Adam. They're not embarrassed or ashamed of you. They just don't understand everything that is going on around them. They're concerned parents; I can relate."

Adam shook his head and said, "Well, what am I supposed to do? I can't very well solve the situation by telling them that I'm He-Man."

"You must do what you think is best, Adam, but I can tell you that everything will work out. Your parents are just as scared and worried as you are. Teela is, too."

Adam sighed. "How can I face any of them after today? I acted like a two-year-old."

Zoar immediately flew up into the sky and just as he went out of sight, he heard, "Things will work out."

=)=)=)

Several hours later, Adam walked back into the palace and avoided all of the guard's eyes. He didn't know if they had heard anything about what had transpired at dinner, but he knew how quickly gossip traveled in the palace. "There is no telling how much the kitchen staff heard before they came into the room," he thought to himself.

He didn't want to, but he made his way toward the courtyard because it was time for one of his combat lessons with Teela.

Once he made it to the courtyard, he breathed in sharply as he saw Teela sitting on the side of the fountain, staring into the water silently, with her back towards him.

He ran his fingers threw his hair nervously and came to stand behind her. "I'm sorry, Teela,” said Adam abruptly.

Teela immediately jumped up and held her right hand over her heart. "Oh, Adam, you scared me!"

Adam looked down at Teela's feet and stuttered, "Uh, um, sorry?"

Teela quietly sat back down and looked up at her childhood friend. She could tell he was nervous. He was just standing there, waiting for her to yell at him. It ashamed her that she knew that's what he was waiting on. She looked to the side where she had placed two swords and shields for their lesson on the ground and said, "I wasn't too sure you would come. I…uh, know you still might be sore from what happened the other day."

Adam looked up a little and said, "I'm still a little sore, but I'm sure I'll manage okay."

"Oh," Teela said, softly. "Okay." She quickly stood up and went to the equipment. She picked up Adam's sword and shield, turned around, and handed it over without looking at him. This did not go unnoticed.

"Teela--" Adam started.

"I was thinking we should go light today since we haven't practiced in a few days and you're still sore," she interrupted, quickly. She then widened her eyes and added, "Oh, maybe we should even stretch a little before we get started! I don't want you to hurt yourself like you did yesterday morning."

"I'm fine, Teela," answered Adam raising his shield.

Teela nodded, raised her sword, and then immediately lowered it again. "I think we should stretch, anyway, just incase. I'd rather be safe than sorry."

"TEELA!"

Teela looked up sheepishly and asked, "What?"

"You don't have to baby me," replied Adam softly.

Teela immediately threw her sword and shield to the ground and cried, "Oh, Adam!" She quickly ran over to him and hugged him. Her arms went around his waist as tightly as she could manage.

Adam gave a little yelp of surprise. "Teela," he started again.

"Adam, I'm so sorry," she cried. She pulled back slightly as tears started slipping down her face. "I'm sorry about what I said earlier. I was out-of-line. Your parents don't baby you, and I shouldn't have jumped on your case like that. It's just that you worried me…No, there's no excuse." She paused and then said, "But it's just that you really worried me. You've never run off to do anything dangerous before!"

"It wasn't even remotely dangerous," he whispered softly.

"But it could have been, Adam. I couldn't bear it if something happened to you." She hugged him tightly again.

Adam rested his cheek against the top of her head and said, "And, I'm sorry for what I said to you. I hope you know I didn't mean it. I was just upset."

Teela pulled back, sniffled, and said, "I know. I don't blame you. It's my fault. I should have known from our discussion this morning that you were already under enough stress from your parents' hounding much less mine. It's just that I don't think before I act or speak sometimes."

Adam laughed softly and said, "Hey, isn't that what you said about me? I guess we're two peas in a pod, then, huh?"

Teela smiled and pulled Adam back towards the fountain. She sat down and patted the space beside her. When he sat down, she turned to face him. "Adam, after you left earlier, your parents started talking about everything that's been going on recently. They're really worried about you and they're bound and determined to figure out what's going on with you. They think you're hiding something from them."

"What could I possibly be hiding, Teela?"

"That's what I asked them at the time, but now I've been thinking."

Adam glanced at her worriedly and said, "Oh, no! Not you, too!"

Teela put her hand on his shoulder to prevent him from getting up. "Just listen to me! I'm not saying that you are intentionally hiding anything from us, but…" She trailed off and looked away as if she was searching for something. "I just remember when we were kids. You were so…different. You were reasonably interested in what the king did. You definitely weren't indifferent to it. You read everything you could get your hands on and you always loved going on adventures, whether it was with me, the other pages, or Cringer." She stopped and turned back around to look Adam in the eyes. "It was only a little after your eighteenth birthday when all of that changed. You started disappearing for hours on end. You always came back with the excuse that you had been off having fun. You started taking naps during all different hours of the day. You became clumsier. Those traits don't just develop over night and come out of nowhere. Honestly, it's left me a little confused, as well, Adam."

Adam sat there silently. He could tell Teela wasn't finished when she looked straight ahead and shook her head as if she were searching for the right words.

"That's why I decided to take a different approach than your parents." She looked back at him. "I've laid out all of the facts and I'm discussing it rationally without cornering you or yelling at you. This is why everyone is wondering what's going on with you, Adam. You have changed so much. Why?"

Adam looked at Teela for several seconds and then looked away. "I don't know what I'm supposed to say." He chuckled sarcastically and said, "I've been feeling that way a lot recently. I don't know what to tell you or my parents, Teela." He stood up and walked away. He waved his hands towards chest and continued, "This is me, Teela. This is who I am. I am the clumsy happy-go-lucky prince who likes to have fun."

Teela stood up and walked in front of him. "Why didn't you look me in the eye when you said that?"

Adam met her gaze and asked, "What?"

"When we were kids and you were trying to get out of trouble or if you wanted to avoid something, you would never look anyone in the eye. You would always look elsewhere and walk away. Talking about the past has reminded me of that. Why don't you tell me again and look me in the face as you’re doing it?"

Adam smiled forcibly and said, "I'm not going to repeat myself."

"Why not?"

Adam walked away and cried, "Because this is ridiculous! I don't want to fight with you, Teela. We've just apologized to each other and things were going great." He looked her in the eyes and said, "The truth is that I went to Drisdos today because I took the advice you gave me this morning. You told me to change; you told me I needed to take more of an interest in the kingdom if I wanted my parents to get off my back. See what happened as a result?"

Teela sighed and said, "I actually do know that's why you did what you did this morning, Adam, but you know as well as I do that I'm not only talking about that." She looked down at the floor and whispered, "The truth is I don't know what you could be hiding, neither can your parents. We haven't got a clue. The only thing we can come up with is that you're either going out and doing something that you shouldn't, that your parents would disapprove of, or you simply… "

"What?" asked Adam anxiously.

"Or that you simply don't care to…be in our presence. You're always out having fun with other people and Cringer. You never take the time to do anything with us except when you have to. And, if you are in the vicinity of us, you are either sleeping or you're quickly finding reasons to leave. It's almost like you don't even like us, if this is the case. It has to be one of the two, Adam, and I hate to think that it's either one. Your parents do, too."

She started walking away and Adam flung his hands in the air exasperatedly. "Teela," he called out. "TEELA."


	8. Repercussions

Noticing Adam Chapter 8

Teela didn't know if she was angry or upset. All she knew was that she had to get away from the Prince of Eternia as quickly as possible without seeming too eager. She walked quickly towards the palace and listened to Adam's pleas for her to stop, but she couldn't, not right now. She needed to figure out how she felt; she needed to figure out what was really going on. She knew of only one person who could help now.

Man-at-Arms was bent over one of his toolboxes obviously trying to find something as Teela walked into the room. She watched him for several seconds as he pulled different instruments out before saying, "Father?"

Duncan immediately looked up and was startled at his daughter's appearance. Her face was reddened as if from anger or possibly even tears. He couldn't tell which. He straightened and quickly went to her. "What's wrong, Teela? Is everything all right?"

She looked into her father's eyes and almost broke into tears, but she stopped herself. Instead, she let the little anger she did feel boil to the surface. "No!" she spat quickly. "Everything isn't all right! I just had a discussion with Adam, and would you believe he doesn't even like us? He's always running off having a good ol' time with Cringer and whoever else he meets along the way! Did he ever consider how that makes us feel? To not want to be around his own mother, father, and friends? What's wrong with him?"

Man-at-Arms stood shocked as Teela continued her feverish rant. He listened and watched as Teela became more and more agitated and incoherent until finally he said in a demanding fatherly voice, "Teela."

Almost immediately she stopped, took a deep breath, and looked at her father.

Now that she was quiet, he sat down on a nearby stool and motioned for her to sit beside him on another. Once they were seated, he said, "All right, tell me what happened."

She looked down and spat, "Adam…" She immediately quieted herself and took a deep breath after hearing the hostility in her own voice. She knew it wouldn't do her any good to get all worked up again. Calmly, she stated, "Adam showed up for his combat lesson this afternoon."

He nodded and said, "That's good. I wondered whether he would or not, considering what happened earlier at lunch."

She nodded and said, "Yes, I was wondering the same thing. I was shocked and relieved when he showed up. We apologized to each other for what had happened. Adam, for once, wanted to get straight to the lesson, but I just couldn't, Father. I had to talk to him about everything that's happened recently. I told him of his parents' concerns, as well as mine. I told him we knew he was either doing something no one would approve of or that he didn't care to be in our presence. He didn't deny it…"

He immediately interrupted and asked, "Did you give him a chance to deny it? Teela, I know you. Once you latch on to an idea, it's hard for you to let anyone sway you."

She looked up sheepishly and replied, "Well, maybe I didn't, but what else could possibly be going on?" She paused and continued, "I don't know why I'm this concerned, anyway. It's his life. If he wants to land right on his royal face, who am I to stop him?"

"Because he's your friend and you care about him," he answered. "Teela, I know Adam as well as I know you. I've watched you both grow up, and I know Adam isn't purposely trying to get himself into any kind of trouble. I also know that he loves his parents and you very much. Don't ever doubt that."

"But…" she started.

He shook his head. "Teela, you're letting the king and queen's insecurities and worries get the better of you. You may be the Captain of the Guard and it may be your sworn duty to protect the prince, but you're also his friend. Instead of letting everyone else worry you into believing something, why don't you just find out for yourself? Why don't you just try to talk to Adam?"

"I tried, Father. He won't open up to me."

He sighed. "I don't mean talk to him about what's going on between him and his parents. That topic makes him defensive enough, and you're not going to get anywhere with him discussing it. Just talk to the lad. Be a friend instead of part of the problem."

"But how can I just ignore the fact that he's scaring me? He ran off during the battle at Castle Grayskull, and who knows what could have happened when he went off to Drisdos this morning!"

"He is the Prince of Eternia, Teela. He has responsibilities to his people, and if everyone is going to jump on him every time he tries to take that responsibility, then…" He cut himself off and looked to the direction of Castle Grayskull.

"What?" she asked after her father's long silence.

Duncan pinched the bridge of his nose with his fingers and shook his head lightly. He looked up and said, "You're never going to know the real Adam if you keep hassling him, Teela. He might end up resenting the fact that you take his parents' side, or more importantly, that you stop him from taking on any royal responsibilities in fear that he might get hurt. Adam is a man, Teela. He has a good head on his shoulders, and he's capable of far more than you or his parents give him credit for. If you would just take the time to notice…"

"You sound like you already know exactly what Adam is capable of, Father."

He nodded. "I may not know everything that he's capable of, but I know he's capable of doing great things now and as the future ruler of Eternia."

She looked towards the door of the workshop and said, "I think so, too, Father. I really do. He just scared me. I'm afraid that he might get hurt or killed. Don't you understand that?"

He wrapped his arms around his daughter and thought back to the night he saw He-Man lying on the Sorceress' bed asleep but in pain. He quietly whispered, "I do understand that. The Ancients know I worry about the same thing myself."

=)=)=)

Adam flung his hands in exasperation as soon as Teela disappeared inside the palace. He almost went after her, but then he realized that he had no idea what to say. There was no way he could tell her convincingly that he really was the goofy but lovable Prince Adam of Eternia like she wanted him to. Despite his dual identity, he had never been good at lying. In fact, since obtaining the Sword of Power, he did everything in his power to avoid having to do so, and it had generally worked for the most part…until now.

He sighed and sat back down on the fountain's side. He hunched over and buried his face in his hands as he contemplated his next course of action or if there should even be one. "Everything I do isn't right," he reasoned. "Maybe I should just pretend like everything's fine and everyone else will take the hint and follow suit."

He sat back up and looked in the direction Teela had gone. His father had just walked into the courtyard and was heading his way with a not-too-happy look on his face. Adam quickly sighed and thought, "But it isn't going to happen."

"Father," he said in greeting as Randor came to stand in front of him.

"Son," Randor acknowledged as he placed his hands on his hips.

"Oh, great," thought Adam as he watched his father's actions. "It's time for another lecture."

The king stared at his son for several seconds and then said abruptly, "Adam, I've been tiptoeing around this matter long enough. Your mother is in our chambers crying because of what has happened today and I believe you have left me with no choice but for you and I to come to an understanding."

Adam looked up when he heard of his mother. It pained him to even fathom her hurting. He listened to his father and nodded. It was time for them to come to an understanding.

Randor, oblivious to Adam's worries for his mother, started to pace in front of his son and folded his arms behind his back as he continued the speech he had thought over and over in his mind since lunch. "Over the past few days, I've been watching you, Adam. I must admit your behavior as of late has been completely unacceptable. I've always noticed your constant disappearing at the worst possible times long before now. As a result, I ordered for you to be trained by one of Eternia's best soldiers. I had hoped at the time this training would give you self-confidence in your ability to fight and stand your ground, but unfortunately, it hasn't. In fact, I've noticed that it has gotten far worse over the years. Whenever a crisis occurs, you run…no matter what. I can't help but ask myself what kind of king you will be for Eternia if you run every time you have a problem. Not a very good one."

"Father," Adam spoke up, but Randor quickly shook his head. He silenced.

"Of course, in your defense, I do realize that you're young, and as your mother constantly reminds me, you were raised differently than me. You've been sheltered from the cruel realities of the world, my son. I suppose that's partially my fault. Maybe I should have exposed you more to what you would one day face. I take responsibility for making that mistake and its results: whenever danger comes your way, you run. I guess that would be okay for any other person, but you're a prince. You need to start acting like one, and I need to make sure that you do."

"I tried today, but…"

Randor shook his head and interrupted, "Today has been one of your most unflattering days. Instead of dealing with your mother and me in an appropriate, a proper, and a reasonable fashion, you ran off to Drisdos without consulting me or allowing someone to accompany you. I realize you were trying to prove to us that you're not a coward and capable of handling yourself, but Adam, running off was very irresponsible." He finally stopped his pacing and faced his son straight on. "You could have been hurt or possibly even killed, but you didn't even think about that, did you? And, then, when you finally came back, you acted so nonchalant about the whole affair as if it wasn't a big deal. Even more outrageously, you belittled Captain Teela when she was only trying to protect you, which is her job, I might add. You ran out and avoided us for hours. You acted like a child, Adam, and you're an adult now. I will not tolerate such behavior from you anymore."

Adam stared at his father in shock. Never before had he talked to him in such a manner.

Randor continued to stare at his son and stated firmly, "And, as for your constant running off and having your so-called 'fun,' that needs to end today. I'm tired of wondering where you've been and seeing your mother worry. If you refuse to let us in, then I have no choice but to forbid those activities. From now on, I am to be informed of where you are at all times. I also want you at more of my meetings and royal functions. I expect to see you in my chambers tomorrow morning. We're going to sit down and go over exactly what your new duties will be."

"But Father!" replied Adam loudly, widening his eyes as he realized exactly how much of a burden this would put on him and that it would make it harder for him to maintain in his secret.

Once again Randor interrupted Adam and said, "I know you don't like the idea of being bound to a tight schedule or telling me where you are at all times, but it is a necessity for now, given the circumstances."

Adam's jaw dropped open, but he quickly got over the initial shock and pleaded, "Father, I can't just drop everything in my life and become your personal beck-and-call boy. I have my own responsibilities. I don't have the time to fit any more on to my plate right now, and you know that. What you're proposing is unreasonable and unfair."

Randor actually smirked at his son and replied, "Despite your current royal duties, you seem to find time to have fun. Instead, it can be filled with more useful activities, son. You should be glad since it will build your character and perhaps our people will view you in a different light and not see you as a coward."

Adam flinched, but before he could get a word out, Randor said, "You need to take on some larger responsibilities, son. You are to be king one day, and the Ancients know I don't want you to be as unprepared for the task as I was. If something happened to me today, you would be less prepared than I was. That fact does not comfort me, Adam. Our family has always lived to take care of our responsibilities. Your mother and I have lived up to ours as king and queen, which has been a very difficult task. Even Adora, your own sister, has lived up to hers:  she fights for the freedom of the inhabitants of Etheria. All I'm asking is for you to take care of your responsibilities, as well."

Adam was immediately taken aback. He stared at his father aghast and asked, "Are you comparing me to Adora?"

Randor shook his head and answered, "No, I'm not, but it is hard not to notice that Adora has a lot of maturity for her age and takes on great responsibilities. She is truly a remarkable young woman, and I'm proud to call her my daughter."

Adam immediately turned his back on his father and squeezed his eyes shut.

Randor noticed Adam's balled fist and added, "You should be proud of her, too."

Adam whirled back around and snapped, "I am proud of Adora! She's my sister and I love her, but how dare you compare me to her!"

Now, it was Randor's turn to be shocked. "I'm not comparing you to her."

"YES, YOU ARE!" yelled Adam. "I'm sorry that I'm not the perfect son that you always wanted. I'm sorry you think I'm not as responsible as Adora. I can't help that, Father! I really can't." He shook his head and said angrily, "I'm also sorry that Adora was the one Hordak kidnapped instead of me. If i had been, then maybe, I'd have some of that Horde training and I'd be the one fighting on Etheria. Is that what you wanted me to say?"

"How can you even ask such a thing?" asked Randor, appalled.

"Because it seems like all you care about is your image! Are you ashamed of me? Are you ashamed that you have a son who seemingly runs from trouble? Do I embarrass you?"

Father and son stared at each other for a long time without saying a word. Randor was trying to figure out what to say, while Adam waited angrily but patiently for an answer. Finally, all the anger melted away and all Adam felt was raw pain. His rigid posture immediately slouched. He bowed his head and whispered, "I'm sorry that I'm such a disappointment, Father. I never wanted things to end up like this. I want the people of Eternia, and more importantly, you, Mother, Duncan, and Teela to respect me. It's just that so many things get in the way of portraying the man that I truly want to be. I just wish you and Mother would accept me, regardless of whom I may or may not be."

Randor placed his hands on his son's shoulders and replied, "I do accept you, Adam, but sometimes as a father, you have to show some tough love to get your kids to straighten out. I still want you to be more involved with kingdom affairs, so I still expect to see you tomorrow morning in my chambers. I think this will solve all our problems."

Adam shook his head and replied, "You're wrong, Father. It isn't going to solve anything. It's only going to make things harder."

"For who?" Randor really wanted to know.

"For everyone.”

=)=)=)

After Randor had left the courtyard, Adam remained seated at the fountain for several hours until it was dark outside. He didn't attend dinner, because he wasn't hungry and he knew he wouldn't be able to face his father yet. What would he do in the morning when it was time to meet with him? Would he willingly sit back and allow his father to dictate his life and give him more so-called responsibilities? He honestly didn't know.

Before he could think about it any further, he felt the Sorceress telepathically reaching out to him: "He-Man and Battlecat are needed at Castle Grayskull, immediately."

Adam stood up and looked towards his father's bedchamber window. "It's time for me to take care of my responsibilities, again," he said almost angrily before walking into the palace to find Cringer.


	9. A Hero's Work is Never Done

 

Noticing Adam Chapter 9

Adam walked into the palace angrily as he went in search of Cringer. Never before had he felt his obligations as He-Man as a burden, but he did now. After his conversation with his father, he realized just how much his secret identity was costing him. It was costing him respect from everyone in Eternos and possibly all of Eternia. He also couldn't help but be a little jealous of Adora after the conversation: "She has a very similar secret," he realized, "and yet, she doesn't need to hide to the degree that I do." Almost everyone knew she had Horde training, so naturally she would be good in battles and would have no reason to cower away from any unwanted situation. Only when situations become too hot to handle would she have to turn into She-Ra.

"How does she do it, though?" he asked himself. "How does she disappear without anyone noticing and questioning her when she gets back?"

He thought this over in his mind and really couldn't come up with a solution that pleased him: "They either don't notice my sister at all, or she's simply better at this kind of life than I am." With that thought, Adam sighed and then mumbled, "Maybe Father is right to view Adora more favorably than me."

At that moment, he finally stumbled along Cringer, who was sleeping soundly underneath a table in the hall towards the throne room. For once, he didn't really want to disturb his companion. He knew Cringer would complain about having to become that "dreadful Battlecat," and for once, he might be tempted to…

"What am I thinking?" Adam suddenly asked himself, horrified. He shook his head as he realized he was actually contemplating not turning into He-Man and helping the Sorceress with whatever task she had for him tonight. What kind of Champion would he be then? Could he even live with himself after doing such a thing? No, he couldn't.

He quickly bent down to scratch Cringer behind the back of his head. "Cringer, it's time to get up. The Sorceress needs He-Man and Battlecat."

Cringer lazily opened his eyes and looked at Adam pitifully. "Aw, c-c-come on, Adam. I'm much too tired to become…"

Adam quickly shook his head, raised his voice, and said, "Don't do this to me now, Cringer! I need you! Don't you bail out on me now, too!"

Startled at his best friend's loudness and his words, Cringer immediately crawled out from underneath the table and asked, "What's wrong, Adam?"

Adam had a sneaking suspicion Cringer was referring to what was wrong with him and why he had just snapped at him, but he answered, "I don't know. The Sorceress contacted me through telepathy. We need to get going. I've wasted enough time."

Almost immediately, Adam raised his sword into the air and turned them into their alter egos, and they were off to Castle Grayskull.

=)=)=)

Randor walked into his bedroom and sighed as soon as his eyes caught the sight of his wife curled into the fetal position on her bed. He walked to her bed stand, took off his crown, and dropped it carelessly onto the table with a loud bang.

Queen Marlena turned away from the wall and looked at her husband. He was crawling into bed with her. He wrapped his arms around her and nestled his face into her neck. "Are you still upset about Adam?" he asked, the question sounding muffled.

She turned around completely in her husband's arms and faced him straight on as Randor moved his head onto his wife's pillow. "How can I not be?" she asked sadly. "There's something wrong with my son and I have no idea how to make it better again." She then looked at Randor's chest to avoid his eyes. "I'm afraid I might have made a terrible mistake."

Randor looked at his wife in a questioning manner, but unfortunately she didn't look up at him to see his reaction. He loosened his grip on her and brought his face closer to hers, which made her finally look back up at him again. "What mistake would that be?" he asked, because as far as he knew, she hadn't made one.

Tears slipped down her cheeks as she replied, "I should have never made an issue about Adam's bizarre behavior, his constant disappearances, and the fact that he's keeping a part of himself closed off from us. Things were fine. We just pretended nothing was wrong, and it worked. I should have never…"

He interrupted her by saying, "Don't ever think that again! You had every right to make an issue out of it. He's our son, and we have a right to know what's going on in his life and to help him. Besides, you shouldn't worry about it anymore, because I've already come up with a solution to all our problems."

She inhaled sharply as she heard his words. "And, what solution is this?"

He smiled softly and answered, "I've already discussed it with Adam. He may not want to let us in, but I told him I would no longer tolerate his disappearing and his behavior. He's reporting to my office tomorrow morning so I can give him new responsibilities to add on to the ones he already has. Also, he now knows that I am to be made aware of where he is at all times."

Marlena quickly sat up with widened eyes. "And, Adam agreed to this?" she asked, unbelievingly.

"He didn't like it, but I didn't give him much choice in the matter."

She shook her head and said, "So, your grand solution to everything is to basically lock Adam up in a cage?"

"That's not my idea," he insisted, "but if Adam chooses to look at it that way, then so be it. I can't just sit around any longer and allow my son to go off on foolish missions like he did, today. The Prince of Eternia should have more responsibilities than acting foolishly, behaving like a clown, and having fun all of the time. When I was his age…"

"But he's not you!" she snapped.

Randor finally sat up and faced his wife. "Just whose side are you on, anyway? You almost sound like you're sticking up for Adam."

"Of course, I am," she said. "Regardless of my concerns for my son, I know the solution is not to keep him so busy that he doesn't have the time to have a life of his own. Randor, if you do this, he'll end up resenting us if he doesn't already."

"Then, what am I supposed to do?" he asked, raising his voice a little louder than Marlena was accustomed to. "The boy is obviously in need of some growing up. The best way to do that is to give him more responsibility and to make him accountable for the things that he does. Besides, if he doesn't want to open up to us and discuss what is going on in his life like an adult, then I'm going to make sure that I know from now on. He hasn't left me with much of a choice."

=)=)=)

He-Man and Battlecat walked across the drawbridge of Castle Grayskull and into the Sorceress' throne room. Once they stopped at the steps which led to where the Sorceress sat, she said, "Thank you for coming."

He-Man just nodded and waited for the Sorceress to explain her reason for calling. He didn't have to wait long.

"The reason I've called you, He-Man, is that Skeletor is devising yet another plan to take over Castle Grayskull and all of Eternia," she explained.

"Of course, he is," he muttered under his breath, for once, slightly annoyed with an upcoming task as Eternia's Champion. In light of recent events, he was not in the mood to face his arch enemy, nor did he feel up to it: he still wasn't a hundred percent better from the explosion of the Magic Orb days earlier. Also, he was feeling really worn down; Skeletor had been keeping him busy for far too long.

Once He-Man finished his thoughts, he noticed the Sorceress had ceased speaking and was staring down at him sadly. He gulped quickly and wondered if she had heard what he was thinking.

She looked him in the eyes and said, "It was kind of hard to ignore, He-Man. Your mind is practically screaming at me. Besides, it's also written all over your face."

Battlecat looked at He-Man when he heard the Sorceress' words; he was still unaware of the immediate thoughts that were troubling his young master.

He-Man sighed and said, "I'm sorry, Sorceress. You know I would never do, or should I say not do, anything that would endanger Eternia and Castle Grayskull. I have every intention on stopping Skeletor like I always have. I just sometimes wish things didn't have to be this way."

"I know you do," said the Sorceress understandingly. "But you must also realize that life is never easy. If you weren't He-Man, there would be other forms of trials and tribulations for Prince Adam. Everyone has their own burdens to carry throughout life. It is an honor to have a burden which affects so many people. It also shows how much of a remarkable man you truly are."

He sighed and asked, "Why doesn't someone tell my parents that once in a while?"

The Sorceress walked down the steps of her throne and as she came to stand in front of him, whispered, "One day your father will know."

He wanted to question her on what King Randor would know, how he would find out, why he would be allowed to do so, and would his mother also find out, but before he could, she changed the subject by saying, "Skeletor is on his way once again to the Widgets' Castle."

He-Man once again sighed for what felt like the hundredth time that day and asked, "Why? He knows one of the quickest ways to draw He-Man out is to attack the Widgets."

"Perhaps, that's the idea," she answered. "Also, Skeletor plans on stealing more Coridite."

"Why would Skeletor try to do something he's already failed at?" he asked thinking about the last time he and Evil-Lyn had stolen Coridite from the Widget Cave and tried to use it against him.

She responded by saying, "Why wouldn't he? Coridite augments his powers and he believes it'll be enough to defeat you this time."

He quickly ran to Battlecat and jumped on his back. "Then, we're off to the Widget Cave, Cat."

As Battlecat growled loudly in response, the Sorceress shouted, "Wait! Are you going alone?"

He looked back and said, "Well, Man-at-Arms is off duty at the palace tonight. I could ask him to come along."

"Then do so," the Sorceress said as the turned to go back to her throne. He-Man and Battlecat immediately left to go back to the palace.

=)=)=)

Man-at-Arms was in his chambers, lying on the bed, thinking about the latest conversation he and Teela had when he heard a knock at his door.

"Come in," said Duncan as he sat up and grabbed his chest plate off the floor. Visits this late at night usually meant trouble was afoot. His suspicions were confirmed as soon as he saw He-Man and Battlecat walking into the room.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, Duncan," said He-Man as he came to stand in front of him.

Duncan quickly replied, "You never disturb me, son."

He-Man smiled, but it quickly faded. "I was just at Castle Grayskull, and the Sorceress informed me that Skeletor is going to attack the Widgets. He's after more Coridite, so we need to stop him."

"Right away," said Man-at-Arms as he grabbed the rest of his armor and helmet. "Let's take the Windraider. It'll get us there faster."

He-Man smirked at Battlecat and said, "You ready to go flying again, Big Cat?" He knew flying was something neither Cringer nor Battlecat were particularly found of.

Battlecat just groaned as they left Duncan's room.

=)=)=)

The Widgets' Castle was eerily quiet to He-Man. Of course, he had never been there at a time where its inhabitants would be sound asleep, either. Regardless of the fact, he was pretty sure there should be a guard walking along the walls to ensure danger was not approaching.

He-Man glanced at Man-at-Arms who turned to him and verbalized his thoughts, "Skeletor's here. I can feel it in my bones."

He-Man nodded and said, "I'll go into the castle, Man-at-Arms, to make sure everything is okay while you go to the caves. I'll meet you there if I don't run into any problems."

Man-at-Arms nodded and started jogging towards the cave.

As soon as Man-at-Arms was a good distance away, Battlecat asked, "And, what do you want me to do, He-Man?"

"Keep an eye out for Skeletor and his henchmen. There's no telling where they are or what they might do."

Battlecat let out a complying roar, and He-Man quickly shushed him with a half-shocked and half-amused smile. It had been a while since someone had elicited such a reaction from him, but he quickly pushed the thought aside. Right now, he had the Widgets and Skeletor to worry about. He looked around the grounds to make sure Skeletor still wasn't in sight. When he was satisfied, he walked up to the castle wall, jumped up, grabbed the top of the wall, and pulled himself up.

Once He-Man was on the railing that surrounded all sides of the WidgetCastle, he looked around for any guards who were supposed to be on duty. He found one not far to his left, who was sound asleep leaning his head and back against the wall. He was snoring softly. He-Man quickly walked to the widget to get a better look and saw that it wasn't one he was well-acquainted with, but nonetheless, he needed to wake him and warn him of the imminent danger he and his people were in.

"Hey," whispered He-Man as he reached a hand out and shook the little guy.

The widget did not open his eyes nor respond. Instead, he mumbled in his sleep and inhaled deeply. He-Man once again would have found himself amused if the situation didn't have the possibility of becoming direr. He shook him again and said louder, "Hey, wake up."

The widget still didn't wake up. In fact, his snoring seemed to get louder. "HEY!" shouted He-man and shook him a little harder. He-Man was suddenly aware that he wasn't going to wake up. He quickly jumped off the railing farther down into the Castle. He went inside the first room he could find. He found Abigail inside. He quickly called out her name and shook her. She was still asleep.

Almost immediately He-Man jumped back up the wall, because he didn't have time to climb the steps. He jumped down to where Battlecat was, and his companion immediately asked, "Arrrgh, is everything all right?"

He-Man shook his head and said, "No, the widgets seem to be in a deep sleep, and only two people can be responsible: Evil-Lyn and Skeletor." He quickly looked around and said, "Did you see any sign of them?"

"No," replied Battlecat. He sniffed the air and ground and said, "I'm not even picking up their scents."

He-Man looked towards the cave, alarmed, and said, "Maybe they never set foot in the castle at all. They might already be in the cave which means Man-at-Arms is in there alone with them." He quickly mounted Battlecat and yelled, "Let's go, Cat!"

=)=)=)

He-Man and Battlecat walked deep inside the WidgetCave. Just as the castle had been, the cave was way too quiet for their liking. He-Man brought his hands up to his mouth to cup them and yelled out "Man-at-Arms!" into them.

Duncan did not respond; instead, he heard a loud multitude of laughs which recognizably belonged to Skeletor, Evil-Lyn, and Beastman.

"All right, Skeletor," yelled He-Man. "I know you're here. Show yourself."

"Are you sure you want me to, He-Man," came Skeletor's amused reply.

He-Man quickly drew the Power Sword and moved it from one hand to the other, ready for Skeletor or any one of his goons to pop out at him. He turned around very slowly, glanced at Battlecat, and then said, "Skeletor, where's Man-at-Arms? Release him, now."

Skeletor once again laughed and said, "As you wish, He-Man."

Suddenly, He-Man heard someone yelling his name and he could tell the person was very terrified. He turned to the sound of the voice and saw Man-at-Arms practically flying through the air straight at him. He-Man quickly dropped his sword and prepared to catch his friend. Unfortunately, He-Man had no idea how hard and fast Duncan was coming at him. As soon as Duncan was in his arms, they both went back a couple of feet and crashed into the cave wall behind them. Luckily, He-Man took most of the hit.

"He-Man, are you all right?" asked Duncan who was quickly getting up.

He-Man groaned and shook his head as best as he could. His body was embedded into the cave, so he had to force himself out of the tight hold his surroundings had on him. As soon as He-Man moved out completely, multiple pieces of rock came falling from the ceiling. "Look out," Duncan and He-Man said simultaneously. He-Man quickly covered Man-at-Arms from the rubble that came down. As soon as the rockslide seemed to subside, He-Man stood up, which removed the rocks from on top of them, and helped Man-at-Arms back to his feet.

"Whew!" said Man-at-Arms, looking around at the boulders and back towards the direction of where Skeletor was. "Thank Goodness you're here, He-Man."

He-Man looked at Man-at-Arms’ worried eyes and asked, "What's going on? What happened? How were you thrown at me like that?"

"Skeletor," answered Duncan. "He's made a Coridite belt, and it's given him incredible strength. I think we should go back to the palace and get extra assistance."

"No," said He-Man, shaking his head. "We can't give Skeletor the opportunity to leave here with that belt. He could attack Castle Grayskull or even the palace. Lives could be lost." He-Man started to walk to the dark part of the cave where Skeletor had been hiding.

Man-at-Arms quickly grabbed He-Man's shoulder. "He-Man…"

Skeletor's voice interrupted Duncan's words. "We're waiting for you, He-Man."

Once again, He-Man turned to walk away, but Duncan quickly said, "Don't you see? This is exactly what he wants, He-Man. He wants to corner you back there and overpower you. By the Ancients, somehow he knows you're not feeling well and at your best. We need reinforcements. You cannot fight them alone."

He-Man turned to Man-at-Arms and said, "I have to try to stop them. I can't let Skeletor leave here with that belt. I have to hold them back."

Man-at-Arms shook his head frantically and said, "We'll stop them, but right now we don't have the ability to do it."

He-Man looked towards Battlecat and then said, "Take Battlecat back to the Windraider and then fly to the palace. Get Teela and whatever backup you think we need while I hold Skeletor up as much as possible."

Skeletor could be heard in the distance calling He-Man's name almost playfully and doing his best to antagonize him.

Duncan once again shook his head, and He-Man suddenly said, "Duncan, it's the only way. I'll be careful, I promise."

Duncan looked into He-Man's eyes intently and said, "You better be. I'll be back as quickly as I can."

He-Man nodded and watched for a moment as Duncan climbed on top of Battlecat. He then turned towards the back part of the cave and picked up his sword. He suddenly knew this would possibly be one of the hardest fights in his life.


	10. The Battle for Coridite

Noticing Adam Chapter 10

He didn't like this; he didn't like it at all. For the first time ever, Man-at-Arms rode Battlecat, fleeing from the battle and leaving He-Man alone…literally alone. He-Man didn't even have Battlecat with him. Duncan looked down at the back of the great cat's head and squeezed his eyes shut. "Is this right?" he asked himself.

When Duncan reopened his eyes, he saw the Windraider in the near distance and knew he had to make a decision, now. Was it right to leave?

Man-at-Arms never before felt such guilt weighing so heavily upon his shoulders. In his mind, he had always separated them—he had always separated He-Man from Prince Adam. But tonight it felt like he was leaving Prince Adam to the wolves, not He-Man. He couldn't shake the feeling that his worst nightmare was about to come true, that he would fail Adam, Randor, and all of Eternia because he didn't follow protocol. "I am supposed to be the last line of defense before someone strikes at a member of the Royal Family," he thought.

But Adam is He-Man and Eternia's Champion. That naturally meant that he was the last line of defense before someone took over Castle Grayskull or the entire planet. He fought almost everyday against the most evil forces imagined… So, why did Man-at-Arms feel as if he were making a grave mistake? Why was he no longer able to follow He-Man's plans without hesitation? Why did he want to go back and force He-Man to leave the cave and fight Skeletor when they had more equal footing?

It didn't take him long to come up with an answer. It all went back to a few night's ago when a truth he had always known subconsciously came to slap him right in the face:  He-Man was not invincible; he could get hurt and die like any other mortal. All Skeletor had to do was weaken him, make him act before he was ready, and make him do something stupid.

"It's happening right now," said Man-at-Arms aloud, startling himself and Battlecat. Battlecat just arrived at the Windraider, but Man-at-Arms stayed on his back and continued his words. "He-Man isn't at his best, but Skeletor is. He could win." Battlecat turned his head to the side to look at Man-at-Arms. Duncan caught the tiger's eye, and he whispered again, "He could win."

=)=)=)

Randor laid quietly in his bed, listening to the sounds of his wife tossing and turning under her sheets. After he had informed Marlena of his plans concerning their son, she had ceased speaking to him.

Randor didn't know what he was angrier about:  the fact that Adam just wouldn't grow up and face his responsibilities or the fact that his wife, the Queen of Eternia, was acting just as irresponsible and childish as their son.

He rolled to his side and stared at his wife who was now staring at the ceiling angrily as if it had done something to offend her. "Marlena," he called.

The only response he received was her hands, which were resting at her sides, balling into fists. He sat up and said incredulously, "This is ridiculous!"

Finally, the queen glanced at her king and spat, "Yes, you're absolutely right. For you to even believe that your plan is actually going to work is ridiculous."

If the king had not already resolved that his actions were indeed the right course of action, her words might have made him cringe and reconsider…but not this time. Instead, he climbed out from underneath his sheets and went immediately to Marlena's side. He sat down on the edge of the bed and said softly, "Let's not fight over this, Marlena. Adam is a grown man now, and he doesn't need you to fight his battles for him. Let him deal with me."

Marlena sat up and said, "He shouldn't have to defend himself to his father. This is probably the exact reason why Adam does not talk to us. He would have to deal with the King of Eternia getting on his case, enforcing his almighty power. Who would want to come to an overbearing tyrant about his problems?"

Marlena could see that her words startled and surprised Randor. Immediately, he jumped off of the bed and glared at her. "An overbearing tyrant?" he echoed. "Marlena, I promised myself that I would follow my family's tradition and never give my people a reason to call me such a thing…and now, my own wife and queen throws it in my face. How could you say that?"

She closed her eyes for a short period of time, suddenly realizing her poor choice of words since it could be taken literally in her husband's case. "Randor," she said softly, "you are a fine king, the greatest on all of Eternia, and you know very well I wasn't referring to your treatment of the people. I was referring to your treatment of our son."

Randor shook his head and said, "How I treat my son is how any other father treats a son who isn't living up to his responsibilities. A father has to be tough and make him go in the right direction."

Marlena shook her head and said, "No, that's how a dictator makes someone do what they want regardless of anyone else's wants and needs. A father would talk to his son, listen to him, try to figure out where the problem lies, and help him fix it. He would give his input, point him in the right direction, and hope his son had learned enough from him to make the right choice."

Randor sighed and replied, "I have tried that with no results, Marlena. Instead I have a son and prince who keeps secrets from us and runs off all the time to avoid his responsibilities. How else am I going to set things right?"

Marlena jumped out of her bed, stood face to face with her husband, and cried, "You have never tried just talking to him! You're always barking out orders and questioning him as if he were your subject who had better do as he is told." When she was through talking, she lowered her eyes to the ground and said, "But maybe I'm foolish to look at it that way. I was never raised in the court. Maybe you're supposed to rule his life, so he'll know how to rule others…" She walked away and got back into bed.

Randor stood there feeling completely flabbergasted. "I don't rule his life. I don't…Marlena, I do talk to the boy. It's just that…" He noticed Marlena had turned away from him. With her back to him, he was able to admit to himself that maybe she was right. Maybe it was time he threw the king façade aside and just had a heart-to-heart with his son. Maybe Adam was scared to confide in them because of the reaction it might cause. It was possible.

He immediately left his bedchambers and went straight to Adam's. He didn't want to wait until morning. He wanted to get things out in the open as quickly as possible.

Once he was standing in front of Adam's door, he gave it a sharp brush with his knuckles. Not a sound was heard from inside. He opened the unlocked door and whispered, "Adam?" When no response was given, he opened the door wider and turned on the lights. The room was empty, and it was evident that he hadn't been there since the maids had cleaned his room.

Randor gritted his teeth as the thought of Adam running around Eternos having “fun” while they all thought he was home asleep came to mind.

Now, everything finally made sense to Randor:  he always knew Adam was a bit of a playboy. He did enjoy the ladies' company, but never before had he guessed that his son was going a step further than he should and was allowed to as a prince.

The wheels were turning in Randor's mind and he was quickly making all the connections to Adam's actions. Of course, Adam would be tired all the time during the day if he was out with ladies all night long doing the unimaginable for an unwedded heir to the throne. And, it was definitely something Adam wouldn't want to confide in his parents about. In fact, he would do his best to keep it a secret that would never see the light of day. Obviously, his son had found some very discreet young ladies who hoped one day the prince would take pity on them and make one of them his queen. Of course, the others would merely be his concubines and nothing more, but they would settle for that. Adam would undoubtedly take care of them since they were keeping his dirty little secret…

The more Randor thought about it, the more believable it seemed and the more disgusted he became. He walked out of the room and slammed the door shut. There would be no heart-to-heart tonight or tomorrow. Instead, he was going to lay down the law.

=)=)=)

He-Man held his sword tightly in his hand as he went farther into the cave. His eyes were wide with anticipation and determination.

Since Man-at-Arms and Battlecat had left, the cave once again became enveloped in an eerie silence, almost like no one was there, but he knew Skeletor was waiting to strike:  he was just waiting for the perfect opportunity.

"And, I'm not going to give it to him," thought He-Man as he stopped to stand still.

He looked in each direction and thought about calling out to his nemesis but quickly changed his mind as he heard a small creak behind him in the not so far distance. He turned around and walked back toward the source of the noise. A smile and a wave of calm came over He-Man as he noticed a flash of gold and green, but before he could utter a word, he saw a fast movement out of the corner of his eye. He decided it was no longer a good idea to try to surprise the evildoers.

"Okay, Skeletor," yelled He-Man. "I know you're here. Come out, and let's get this over with."

He-Man was astonished to discover that his words were immediately answered by the appearance of Skeletor coming to stand in front of him out of thin air. He-Man took a step back and held his sword in front of him, ready for Skeletor to make the first move.

Skeletor chuckled with almost delight as he stared at Eternia's Champion. "My, my, He-Man," he said. "I was so sure you would listen to that coward Man-at-Arms and go back for reinforcements."

He-Man furrowed his brow and said, "You're not leaving this cave with that coridite belt."

Suddenly, He-Man noticed that Evil-Lyn and Beastman were coming to stand behind their master.

Skeletor ignored his allies' advances and said, "Do you really think I care one way or the other about this belt? Once you are defeated, there will be nothing to stand in my way of taking over Castle Grayskull and then the entire universe!" Skeletor started to laugh, but He-Man quickly cut him short:

"And, what makes you think you can beat me, Skeletor? You may have the coridite as an advantage, but you always make mistakes. You never follow the plans completely through."

"What are you talking about, you fool?" screeched Evil-Lyn, finally speaking up. "The plan is working out perfectly." She turned to her master and screamed, "Let him have it, Skeletor!"

Skeletor quickly raised his Havoc Staff and shot an energy beam at He-Man, which he immediately deflected with the Power Sword. The beam shot back, struck Beastman square in the chest, made him fly a few feet back, and fall to the ground.

Skeletor let out a yell of frustration as He-Man smiled and reiterated, "Like I told you, Skeletor, you never set up your traps, perfectly. You always manage to make one mistake, and it's ultimately your undoing." He-Man pointed behind them. Immediately, Skeletor and Evil-Lyn turned around to see Battlecat and Man-at-Arms running at them.

"Oh, no, you don't!" screamed Skeletor at the meddlers. He raised his Havoc Staff, prepared to shoot Man-at-Arms but almost immediately found himself being lifted off the ground by He-Man. "Let me down, you muscle-bound buffoon!"

"If you insist!” exclaimed He-Man, and he threw Skeletor into Evil-Lyn as she tried to twirl her wand in some kind of spell to stop Man-at-Arms and Battlecat.

The two miscreants were huddled together on the ground, trying to get up as the heroic trio surrounded them. "All right, Skeletor. You lose. Take off the Coridite Belt before I remove it myself."

"Not a chance, Musclehead!" cried Skeletor as he shot a beam out of his finger.

He-Man immediately moved to deflect the shot but suddenly realized Skeletor had moved his hand abruptly before shooting out the beam. He hadn't been aiming at him.

Before He-Man realized what was happening, he heard Man-at-Arms cry out in pain and saw him falling back. "DUNCAN!" cried He-Man as he reached out to grab his friend and prevent him from colliding with the cold hard ground of the cave.

He-Man quickly lowered the figure to the floor and kneeled before him. "Duncan," he said. Everything else around him seemed to be a blur. As he had caught his friend, he had failed to notice any movement. He was worried Man-at-Arms might be…

"No," He-Man whispered and then let out a loud, "NOOOOOO!"

He stood up at the mere thought and possibility that his friend was dead and whirled around to where Skeletor and Evil-Lyn had been sitting. They were nowhere in sight. Immediately, He-Man turned his attention back to Duncan. Battlecat was already there nudging his fallen friend with the side of his head armor. "Is he all right?" the great cat asked with great concern in his eyes.

"I don't know," He-Man answered, dropping to his knees to check for signs of life, but before he could he heard Skeletor's evil laugh.

"Your mistake shall cost you, dearly, my enemy," the demon yelled.

Suddenly, Battlecat let out a roar as a glowing rope shot around his feet and fastened them together. He fell to the floor beside Man-at-Arms as He-Man stood to see Skeletor with the Havoc Staff a mere foot away from his head.

"I'm afraid you won't be able to stop this beam, He-Man," said Skeletor as Evil Lyn finished using her wand to tie up Battlecat.

She then stood beside Skeletor and raised her wand. "Or two, for that matter," she added.

He-Man immediately relaxed his grip on his sword and lowered it to the ground. "What do you want, Skeletor?"

Skeletor laughed and answered, "I want to rid Eternia of your hated presence forever. I want you some place where you will never bother me again."

He-Man glanced at Man-at-Arms and Battlecat and then asked, "Do I have your word you will you let them go?"

Skeletor glanced at the two figures lying on the floor and said, "In exchange for letting me send you to the farthest galaxy imagined, yes."

He-Man nodded and said, "Then, do it."

Skeletor stood there unmoving for a second and asked, "What? No heroic effort to save yourself and your friends? You're merely going to give up?"

"I'm not giving up," he hissed. "I'm saving my friends."

Skeletor laughed. "A wise choice, He-Man."

The head of the Havoc Staff started growing and Skeletor started reciting an incantation. While Skeletor was occupied, He-Man knew the time was now or never. He quickly lunged out, grabbed the Havoc Staff, and pushed the head of it towards the cave wall and away from him. Skeletor cried out in protest, and immediately Evil-Lyn shot an energy beam squarely on He-Man's back.

He-Man felt the overwhelming sting of the blow to his back, but he knew he couldn't let Skeletor win this battle. With all the power he could muster, he ripped the Havoc Staff from Skeletor's grip and tossed it aside. Once it hit the cave wall, its glowing top immediately went back to its natural shade.

He-Man tried his best to push Skeletor against the wall but was finding it difficult since Skeletor was still wearing the Coridite Belt and had a little height on him.

"You will pay for that, He-Man!" yelled Skeletor as he kneed He-Man in the midsection and pushed him a few steps away from him. "Evil-Lyn!"

Suddenly, He-Man felt another blow to his back which was more intense than the first. He knew now that he had only one choice left. With the beam still on his back, he lunged once more at Skeletor and used the force the beam to fly at him. As he flew into Skeletor, he ripped the Coridite Belt off of him and clasped his hands around the hard formed rock, determined to ball it up and destroy it as soon as he had the chance.

Skeletor and He-Man collided into the cave wall with the force from He-Man's lunge and Evil Lyn's beam. He-Man didn't know about Skeletor, but he could feel himself losing consciousness. "No," he thought as he fought against the dizziness he felt. "Not now."

He tried to force himself to stand and immediately dropped to one knee again. The room seemed to be spinning, and he couldn't quite seem to catch his balance.

Suddenly, he heard Evil-Lyn cry out. He-Man looked in her direction and saw her falling to the ground. He glanced to his right determined to see where Skeletor had gone and he noticed the villain crawling towards the Havoc Staff. Once Skeletor retrieved it, he looked at He-Man and cried, "I will have my revenge!" He suddenly disappeared, taking Evil-Lyn and Beastman with him.

He-Man immediately sat down, laid his head back on the wall behind him, and closed his eyes. He was tired and aching all over, and the demand for sleep was overwhelming. He was tempted to fall asleep at that very moment, but the sudden thought of Duncan on the ground a few feet away made him open his eyes.

He-Man almost believed he was looking at a ghost. Before him, Man-at-Arms was leaning his face close to his. "Are you all right?” the ghost asked.

He-Man groaned and gasped, "Duncan…" He grabbed the back of his head and suddenly felt another set of hands there, as well. "You're alive!" he said, relieved.

"Of course, I'm alive," replied Duncan still examining He-Man's head and pulling him forward to look at his back. "Skeletor only knocked the wind out of me. This armor is good for something, you know. You, on the other hand, aren't wearing any."

He-Man closed his eyes again and said softly, "I'm okay. Just give me a few seconds."

Man-at-Arms wasn't as confident as He-Man sounded, but he allowed He-Man to rest on the wall again and breathe in deeply and slowly.

After five minutes of waiting, He-Man opened his eyes, smiled weakly, and said, "We better be on our way back to the palace. Prince Adam has an appointment with the king tomorrow, and I would prefer to get a little rest."

Duncan nodded and watched as He-Man winced as he stood to his feet. "We also need to get you checked out," replied Duncan. "You're obviously in pain and you weren’t up for this kind of battle in the first place…"

"I'm fine," muttered He-Man, cutting Duncan off short. "All I need is a little sleep."

Duncan frowned as he watched He-Man crumble Skeletor's belt in his hands.


	11. Adam the Playboy?

 

Noticing Adam Chapter 11

The wind was blowing into his eyes and through his hair. Normally, this would have been something quite pleasant after a battle with Skeletor and his followers, but at that moment He-Man found it to be more of a nuisance than anything else. He closed his eyes for what seemed like the umpteenth time to prevent the wind from making his eyes dryer than they already were. He lifted his hand to his right eye and started rubbing it while a yawn he couldn't possibly suppress came to the surface.

Man-at-Arms looked over at He-Man as he heard the champion's feeble attempt to hide his obvious state of exhaustion. "He doesn't want to admit it," he thought, "but Skeletor has worn him to a frazzle, among other things." Duncan thought about this mere month alone. He-Man and Battlecat were practically fending off Skeletor every day. They had little time for a break, and it was beginning to show. Never mind the fact that He-Man had overexerted himself to stop a magic orb a few days ago; never mind the fact that he was carrying more emotional baggage than Duncan would have liked, thanks to the boy's parents.

Duncan sighed and shook his head. Something had to be done before things got worse.

He-Man heard the sounds his friend was making and immediately opened his eyes to settle a gaze of concern on him. "What's the matter, Duncan?" he asked. "Are you okay?"

Duncan glanced at He-Man and once again shook his head. He-Man was always thinking of others and never himself. "Shouldn't I be asking you that?" he replied.

Slightly annoyed by Man-at-Arm's constant display of concern this evening, He-Man looked away and said sharply, "I already told you at the Widget's Cave, I'm just tired. I'll be okay." As he finished the statement, he looked back at Man-at-Arms and saw the older man's frown. He knew immediately that his friend didn't believe him, but he didn't know what to do or say to make the older man think otherwise.

At that particular moment, the Windraider flew over Mount Eternia and the Royal Palace came into view. Instead of relaxing as He-Man thought he would have at the mere thought of getting into bed and sleeping the rest of the night away, he felt himself tense. Even the palace, his home, didn't comfort him or represent a place of rest and relaxation anymore.

Shaking his head, he lifted up his sword and turned himself and Battlecat back into Prince Adam and Cringer. As the Windraider landed and came to a complete stop, Adam settled his worn eyes on Duncan and whispered, "I want to go back to the castle to check on the widgets in the morning. I want to make sure the sleeping spell they were under wore off."

Duncan pondered this for a second and then said, "I can go and check it out. You should rest."

Adam climbed out of the Windraider and said, "I'm about to rest, now, Duncan. I'll be fine. See you in the morning."

As Adam disappeared inside the palace, Duncan rubbed his chin as he wondered how much more Adam and He-Man could take and what would happen next.

=)=)=)

King Randor couldn't seem to settle down and go back to sleep. He couldn't get the thought of Adam and his promiscuous deeds out of his mind. He looked at his wife and squeezed his eyes shut. It was going to devastate her to learn that their son could be capable of such acts. Despite Adam's reputation as a lazy, carefree prince, he was still considered to be a young man of fine quality, of a kind and honest nature. Everyone in the kingdom believed Adam possessed a kind of innocence that was rare in a world where evil and temptation was around every turn. He suspected it was one of the things that made the people love him despite his misgivings.

Randor shook his head with disgust as he realized it was all a lie, one huge lie. It wasn't hard for Randor to think back to when Adam was a boy; it wasn't all that long ago. He knew for certain then that Adam was everything he seemed to be. Back then, he was interested in kingdom affairs. Back then, he read everything he could get his hands on. Back then, he was innocent.

"When did it change?" thought Randor as he tossed his blankets off of him and sat on the side of the bed. It pained him to realize he didn't have an answer. A father should know his son. He should have noticed this kind of change in Adam long before now. He should have gotten involved as soon as Adam's behavior took a turn for the worst…but at the time, Randor thought he was just rebelling, wanting a break away from the pressures of being a crown prince. It’s been several years now since Adam had "rebelled" and decided to take life a lot easier, and unfortunately, he showed no signs of reverting back.

"I have to fix this," whispered Randor. He somehow had to get his son back on track or he would be forced to do the unthinkable. He didn't even want to imagine someone besides Adam sitting on his throne after he was gone, but he couldn't give the kingdom to someone who didn't deserve it, either. He couldn't give it to someone who was making decisions for his own life that were so obviously wrong. How could that individual make right decisions for an entire kingdom and planet?

Randor squeezed his eyes shut again and let out a harsh breath he realized he had been holding in for far too long. He wanted to be sad that Adam had wrapped himself into this kind of predicament. He wanted to feel bad for even thinking about the possibility that Adam wouldn't deserve the throne. But the more he thought about it, the more anger won out. Adam was calling all the shots. He was the one backing Randor into a corner and forcing him to make decisions.

Randor stood up and walked over to his window to stare at the two moons shining in the sky. He knew he would straighten this all out somehow…whether Adam liked it or not.

As soon as the sun broke over the horizon after several hours of concreting his conclusions about Adam in his mind, Randor got dressed in his typical royal attire and rushed to his office. He sat down behind his desk and mentally prepared himself for the discussion he and Adam were about to have. It would be the most intense and brutally honest father-and-son chat they ever had. He knew he needed to be strong and stern to make Adam realize his mistake before it was too late. He glanced at the clock and waited patiently for his son to make an appearance.

=)=)=)

Adam awoke drenched in sweat. Once again, he had forgotten to change out of his long-sleeved undershirt and pink tunic before going to bed. "You figured I would learn by now," Adam thought to himself as he sat up in bed and felt his head spinning around the room. He immediately closed his eyes and tried to refrain from throwing up. After several seconds of taking deep and calming breaths, the prince stood up and walked into the bathroom where he drank several cups of water and washed up.

By the time Adam emerged from the bathroom, he was feeling slightly better, even though he was still tired. It would have been nice to slip back into bed, but he wanted to get back out to the Widget's Castle to check on them. Last night, he didn't want to rush into the castle and wake them up only to alarm them of a danger that had already passed. He was reasonably convinced that the sleep would wear off by morning, so he just needed to make sure.

As Adam walked over to his bookcase to retrieve the Power Sword, he glanced over at Cringer who was sleeping beside his bed and asked, "Are you going to the Widget's Castle with me?"

The tiger opened one lazy eye and yawned. "What are we g-g-going back there for?" he asked as he stretched.

"I just want to check on them.”

Cringer stood up, stretched, and replied, "Well, at least we don't have to turn into He-Man and Battlecat to do that."

Adam couldn't help but grin as he said, "But we do, old buddy. They wouldn't understand why Prince Adam, instead of He-Man, came to check on them."

Before Cringer could utter another word, Adam lifted the Sword of Power into the air and yelled, "By the power of Grayskull…"

=)=)=)

King Randor waited in his office until the hour their breakfast would be served in the dining room. Now, he was furious! Not only was his son staying out late with ladies, but he skipped their meeting! Randor slammed the door to his office shut and decided to drop by his son's bedchambers before going to the dining room. Undoubtedly, Adam was still in bed trying to recoup from the night's activities.

Randor practically stormed down the hall, avoiding the surprised faces of several guards and maids. They rarely saw their king angry, and the anger was radiating off of him. As soon as he got to Adam's rooms, he looked down the hall and saw Man-at-Arms, Teela, and his wife heading his way.

"Your Majesty," said Duncan and Teela simultaneously in greeting, seemingly unaware of their king's foul mood.

Queen Marlena, however, could immediately tell something was wrong. "Randor?" she questioned. "What's wrong?"

Then, remembering the conversation she had with her husband last night, she assumed she already knew. "Did your meeting with Adam not go according to plan? I told you he wouldn't take being kept in a cage too kindly, Randor."

Before Marlena could get another word out, Randor exploded, "NO! My meeting with Adam did not go according to plan, and do you want to know why? Because he didn't even bother to show up for the thousandth time!" He took a deep breath and then muttered angrily, "I guess I shouldn't be surprised. It's become habit with him, but just knowing the reasons why he missed it just makes it ten times worse!"

Marlena blinked in surprise at her husband. She had never heard him sound quite so angry before. "What reasons?" she asked after a moment of letting his words sink in.

Randor wrinkled his nose in disgust and replied, "I don't even want to utter it. Why don't we let our son tell you?" He quickly went to Adam's door and flung it open. They all stepped into the room to find it empty.

"HE STAYED OUT ALL NIGHT!" Randor erupted. He walked over to the bed which was still made and only had a few wrinkles in the blankets. He flung his hands in the air and then looked at Man-at-Arms accusatorily. "You knew about this all along, didn't you?"

Duncan backed up and asked, "What?"

Randor got right in his face and explained with a menacing voice, "You knew what Adam was doing this entire time! I bet you even knew he wasn't here last night! Tell me, Man-at-Arms, how long did you think you and Adam could keep this a secret from me? Here I was thinking you were my best friend and loyal confident, and you didn't even tell me the problems concerning my own son. Instead, you help him do it so he couldn't possibly get caught. You always made excuses for him and tried to calm me down when I seemed a little rough on him. Do you realize what you've done and what your role is in this whole mess? You're practically like a second father to him, I know that, and when you help him in such matters, it only encourages him to keep doing it. I don't know who I blame more: you or him!"

Duncan widened his eyes and said, "Your Majesty, I have no idea what you're talking about!"

"Do you deny knowing Adam wasn't in his bedchambers last night?"

"Adam was here. I'm certain of it," said Duncan defensively.

"No, he wasn't!" Randor yelled. "I came here last night to talk to Adam, Duncan. His bed wasn't touched. It was much in the same manner it is, now. And, quite honestly, I find it hard to believe that you don't know what's going on. In fact, I think you're the only one that does. You haven't denied that you have helped my son when he's in trouble in the past, and yet, you seemingly refuse to tell me of those occasions. I know you're protecting him, Duncan, and by the Ancients, I want you to admit it."

Teela and Marlena stared at the scene before them in shocked silence. After the two men stayed quiet for several seconds, Teela walked to over to them and said, "Father, it isn't true, is it?"

Duncan looked into his daughter's now hurt eyes and began, "I…I…"

"Hey, what's going on here?" came Adam's voice from the doorway.

The group turned their attention to Adam, and he immediately fidgeted under the scrutiny. "Uh, hi," he said after a second of uncomfortable silence.

Randor gritted his teeth, came back out into the hall with the rest of the spectators, and then spat, "Where have you been?"

Adam widened his eyes at his father's hostility. He couldn't imagine what was causing it, but he knew it couldn't be good. "I..I went out for a walk. What's wrong?"

Randor ignored Adam's question and asked, "Did you conveniently forget about the meeting we were supposed to have this morning?"

Adam widened his eyes. "So, that's it," he thought. He stuttered aloud for a couple of seconds and then said, "I'm sorry, Father. I actually did forget."

Randor almost sneered at his son and said, "Yes, I suppose it's possible you did forget after everything that happened last night."

Adam paused and glanced at Man-at-Arms, who looked worried. He looked back at his father and asked, "What do you mean? What happened last night?"

"Why don't you tell me?" countered Randor.

"I don't know what I'm supposed to say, Father."

Randor let out what almost sounded like a roar from Battlecat, and then said in a loud but almost calm voice, "I know, Adam. I know."

Adam looked baffled and then asked, "You know what?"

Randor took a step closer to Adam, and for a second he looked utterly heartbroken, but anger quickly replaced it. "I know you didn't spend the night here in the palace, Adam. I know where you were, and for once, I want you to admit it. I want you to own up to what you do and who you really are."

Adam's eyes widened to an unbelievable portion. It looked like they were almost about to pop out of their sockets. "He knows?" his mind questioned hurriedly. "He couldn't possibly know, but it seems like he does. What do I do?"

"I…" Adam begun. "I…have no idea what to say."

Randor glared at him and said, "Just tell the truth."

Adam glanced at Man-at-Arms and then said, softly, "Father, I never wanted you to find out like this. I wanted to tell you, but there were reasons that I couldn't."

"Of course," said Randor. "You couldn't endanger your reputation as the foolish, carefree Prince Adam."

Adam nodded. "I just wanted to protect you, Mother, Teela…everyone."

"Protect us?" questioned Randor. "What makes you think that hiding something like this would protect us? Ancients, Adam! Did it ever occur to you that you should refrain yourself? I'm sure the temptation becomes unbearable, but to do this in such a way, to treat other people in such a manner…it's disgusting and unbecoming of a prince."

Adam blinked with uncertainty and replied, "I thought you would be proud after the initial shock wore off."

"Proud?" Randor echoed in astonishment. "How could you ever imagine that I would be proud? You know very well, Adam, that I do not condone such actions. I don't even let my own guardsmen parade around town as playboys, boasting their responsibilities and whatever else, just to lay down with anyone who will have them. And, when I think that my own son…"

Suddenly, there was a loud gasp. Everyone turned to look at Teela who stood there as white as a ghost. She looked to her king and said, "You mean, Adam…he's been…" She trailed off as she looked at her longest friend.

"Yes," replied Randor, finally letting the anger die away into sadness. "My son has been…" Randor shook his head. "I can't even bring myself to say it." He looked back at his son. "Why, Adam? Why would you do this to yourself? Why would you do this to the women you…sleep with? You're using them, and it's wrong and disgusting, especially if you supposedly care for them.

Adam widened his eyes and let out a startled, "WHAT?"

Suddenly, loud heels were heard through the hall running away from them. Adam looked to see Teela running as fast as she could.

"Teela!" yelled Adam. He started to run after her, but suddenly Adam felt a slap across his face. He looked at the person before him in horror and shock as his hand drifted instinctively to his face.

Queen Marlena had a hand over her mouth and then fell into Adam's arms. "Adam!" she wailed. "I thought I taught you better than that. I thought I taught you to respect women and above all yourself. If you had urges, you could have talked to me. We could have gone through the proper procedures of allowing you to court and then marry, but Randor and I didn't see any signs that you were ready to find a wife, yet." She started crying even harder.

Adam wrapped his arms around his mother and quickly looked at the king. "Father, you've gotten this all wrong! I'm not…" He paused as he saw two guards walking down the hall towards them. He whispered, "I'm not sleeping with anyone."

Randor shook his head and said, "And, now, you're trying to deny it."

"Of course, I'm denying it," he whispered. "I wouldn't do such a thing. Mom is right. You have raised me better than that. I don't even know where you got such information."

"Then, where were you last night?" asked Randor getting angry once again.

"I did come home," Adam said defensively. "I was just out later than usual." He glanced at Duncan who was still standing there, shocked from everything that had taken place. "I was feeling bad last night, so Duncan, Cringer, and I took the Windraider out, so I could get some fresh air."

Randor stared at Adam for several seconds and then glanced at Man-at-Arms. "Do you honestly expect me to believe that? I know Duncan has been covering for you, and isn't it convenient that he's the only one who can collaborate your story? I didn't want to believe it, Adam. I really didn't, but it fits so perfectly. It explains everything. It's the only explanation I can think of."

Adam's jaw dropped, but then he was suddenly angry. "You know what, Father? Believe what you want to believe! But I'll repeat it: I am NOT sleeping with anyone."

"And, again," said Randor right back, "how can you expect me to believe you?"

Adam was suddenly tired of this entire conversation and yelled angrily, "BECAUSE I'M A VIRGIN, AND I'M YOUR SON!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, Adam paused and looked around. The two guards he saw earlier were still in the hall and they were staring at him with an unreadable expression adorning their face. There were also several maids in the hall that had stopped to look at the scene.

Adam felt his ears go red from embarrassment. He quickly but softly pushed his mother away from him.

"Adam," she said, trying to prevent him from leaving. "I believe you. Adam, please just stay here and let's talk this out."

Adam kept shaking his head profusely. "No, I…Let me go."

As Randor took a step closer, Adam yelled angrily, "Oh, no! Don't even come near me, Father! For you to even think I am capable of such a thing…you don't even know me!"

Adam pushed his mother away from him one more time and suddenly felt a wave of heat rush over his body. The room began to spin and he was suddenly very tired. "I need to go," he whispered weakly.

He started to walk away again, but his mother once again grabbed his hand. "Adam," she said, but then he suddenly heard her scream. He fell to his knees as the room started spinning uncontrollably.

"Adam!" cried Marlena, falling to his side. "What's wrong, baby?"

He couldn't look at her. His eyes were now filling with tears and his face was unbelievably red. Marlena put a hand to his cheek, looked up at her husband, and said, "Randor, he's burning up."

Randor quickly knelt down and touched his son's back. It immediately arched underneath his hand, but he could still feel the heat radiating off of him and see the sweat already forming under his brow. Randor quickly pulled Adam off the floor.

The fast motion quickly made Adam sick to his stomach and he emptied what little he had in his stomach onto his shirt, tunic, and floor. Randor made him sit down on a nearby bench.

Duncan was quickly in front of them and said, "Let me see." He quickly checked Adam's heartrate and felt how hot he was. He quickly looked Adam in the eyes and said, "Adam, listen and answer me, what’s wrong? Do you think you need something to drink?"

Adam nodded and immediately regretted it. He groaned in pain.

Duncan looked at Randor and said, "I don’t know what’s wrong, but I think he's dehydrated at the very least, and the arguing didn't help him any. I think someone should get him some water."

Marlena quickly rushed down the hall as Adam looked miserably at Man-at-Arms and said, "Just help me to my room."

Duncan and Adam walked to Adam's chambers with Randor following close behind. He didn't try to help Adam, because he already knew his son would respond with hostility. Now from his son's outbursts to his accusations, he was starting to doubt what he thought he had discovered.

As they finally entered Adam's room, Adam quickly start pulling off his pink tunic. He looked solely at Man-at-Arms and said, "I'll be okay. I'll just take a shower to cool off and get cleaned up."

"Drink some water while you're in there and call me if you feel lightheaded. We don’t need you passing out and hitting your head in there," said Duncan with a nod.

Adam nodded slowly and then took off his white undershirt as he walked to his bathroom. He tossed the white shirt aside, entered the room, and then closed the door.

When he heard the shower turn on, Duncan turned to look at King Randor to see a look of surprise covering his face. "What is it, Your Majesty?"

Randor didn't answer until Duncan was standing directly in front of him. He shook his head to seemingly clear his thoughts and then whispered, "Duncan, did you see Adam's back?"

Duncan shook his head.

"It's covered in bruises," replied Randor.

Duncan gulped and asked dumbly, "Was it?" He knew it was probably from the encounter in the WidgetCave last night. Adam heals faster than most, especially when those injuries occur as He-Man, but unfortunately this time he obviously didn't heal fast enough.

Randor settled a squinty glare on Duncan and said, "I should probably admit now that maybe I'm wrong about him being out all night with ladies and apologize to him."

Duncan regarded his king carefully and then nodded. "You should. The boy has every right to be upset after what just happened. I'll have a talk with him for you, as well."

Randor frowned and continued, "But something is definitely going on here, Duncan. I can feel it and those bruises are proof enough. Maybe I wasn't angry at him for the right reasons, but I…" He cut himself off and looked at Duncan with desperate eyes. "I know he's doing something he shouldn't or he wouldn't be hiding it.”

Duncan shook his head and said, "Your Majesty, nothing is going on here. Adam probably got those bruises from sparing with Teela."

Randor shook his head, getting angry again and replied, "He hasn't sparred with her for several days, Duncan, and those bruises were fresh. I could tell. Besides, if you're right and there really is 'nothing' going on here, then that means Adam is the lazy, foolish, and horrible prince that everyone thinks he is. Either way, I don't like it."

"Your Majesty," began Duncan.

Randor shook his head and started heading for Adam's door to leave. "Things are going to change around here, Duncan. Adam is going to have to straighten up and be responsible and accountable for his actions whether he likes it or not." He glared at Duncan for a second and said, "And, you're going to, too.” He quickly walked out the room and before he slammed the door shut, he said, "Send for me when Adam gets out of the shower and is feeling better."


	12. A Mother Always Knows

Noticing Adam Chapter 12

Adam stood in the lavatory looking at his mirror as he heard his father slam the door shut. He had turned on the shower hoping it would get his room's occupants to leave, but it had done more than that. It allowed his father the opportunity to be brutally honest about his opinion of his son.

Adam stared at his reflection as the tears gathered and glistened in his eyes and then quickly slipped down his cheeks.

"A horrible prince." Those were the words his father had said. He had expected to hear "foolish" and "lazy." Those words had become inextricably intertwined to Adam's title for quite some time, now. It no longer fazed him when anyone uttered them. He used to think it was a sign that he was doing his job so well that no one would ever possibly mistaken him for Eternia's Champion. Now he began to realize that maybe he put on the act a little too well.

Inevitably, his thoughts turned to his father's accusations, and Adam quickly found his self-pity turning into anger. He could understand his father calling him lazy and foolish, but he couldn't fathom for the life of him how his father could even believe for a mere second that he was running around at night with various women doing only the Ancients knew what. Sure, he flirted with ladies in court, but that was all it ever was. Nothing ever came of it, and he thought his parents knew that.

As Adam finished getting undressed, he realized just what this morning's events had done. His father had almost turned his mother against him:  he could still feel the sting of her slap across his cheek. He didn't know if it was really still hurting or if it was an emotional burn that would be there for some time to come. Also, his father had undoubtedly caused a rift in his relationship with Teela. She had looked so devastated when she realized what his father was accusing him of.

"How can I blame her?" thought Adam as he crossed the room to the sink to grab a cup and sip some water to soothe his dry throat. It must have come as quite a surprise to the Captain of the Guard that her charge and best friend was supposedly a womanizer. Of course, that didn't fully explain her reaction. Under the circumstances, he would have thought a verbal lashing, or perhaps even a physical one, would have been her preferred method of getting through to him. That's what she had always done in the not-so-distant past when he did something she didn't like.

Regardless of Teela's reaction, he knew he needed to talk to her and set the record straight. He couldn't stand the thought of Teela believing that he was capable of such acts. "Especially not her," said Adam aloud as he set his cup aside and stepped slowly into the shower.

=)=)=)

Man-at-Arms sat down in Adam's favorite green chair and buried his face in his hands as he waited for his prince to come out of the lavatory.

It was a fine mess he and Adam had gotten themselves into. He knew they had to do something to cease King Randor's suspicions, but he didn't know what, and that fact terrified him. The truth was that the mere thought of Randor getting on his case, and Adam's, terrified him more than having to face Skeletor in one-on-one combat. And, it wasn't that he was scared of Randor or what he might do to him. He just didn't like lying to Randor any more than he had to. He had sworn his allegiance to the king a number of years ago, and recently, it seemed like all he did was break that oath as if it meant nothing to him.

Also, he was afraid of what this whole situation was doing to Adam. It was obvious to him, especially last night, that Adam was worn out and not as well as he pretended to be. He had his suspicions that Adam's condition was slowly but surely getting out of control, but the boy kept adamantly denying it. Of course, exhaustion wasn't the only source of the prince's malady. He obviously wasn't over the injuries that have plagued him since he stopped the orb at Grayskull. And, without a doubt, as Randor had noticed himself, he had suffered injuries at the WidgetCave, as well. The image of He-Man getting pummeled by numerous energy bolts came to mind as he remembered getting up off the cave floor to help the lad.

Also, he had to take into account that Adam wasn't nourishing himself like he should, which could be a reason why he wasn't healing like he normally does. It was then that Duncan realized that with all the emotional upheavals he's been through, Adam had managed to skip a number of meals throughout the past few days alone.

He looked at the door to Adam's lavatory and whispered, "He isn't handling this well at all."

=)=)=)

Queen Marlena stood in the mist of the Royal Kitchen as cooks and servants bustled around her preparing the morning's breakfast. Everything smelled wonderful and absolutely delicious, but the pleasant aromas assaulting her nostrils were the last thing on her mind. Despite Chef Alan actually giving Marlena a glare for seemingly peeping in on his preparations, the queen quickly scooted past him and went to a cabinet where the pitchers and glasses were contained.

As she took the items and moved to the sink to fill it with water, Chef Alan approached her. "Your Majesty?" he questioned uncertainly.

Before the proud chef could get another word out, Marlena said quickly, "Oh, don't worry, Chef Alan. I will be out of your way soon. I'm just getting this…" She trailed off. She didn't want everyone in the palace to know what had happened earlier. She had a suspicion because of the two guards and maids present at the time, it was going to be told throughout the palace by the day's end, but she wasn't going to help it spread faster. "…for a friend," she finished.

As soon as she filled the pitcher full of water and dropped several cubes of ice in it, she quickly left to get it to her son.

When Marlena opened Adam's door, she was surprised to find the room empty, except for one startled Man-at-Arms.

When Marlena entered and closed the door, Duncan stood up and said to his queen's unasked question, "He's in the lavatory getting cleaned up."

Marlena nodded, sat the pitcher on a nearby table, and hesitantly walked around the room. Eventually, she settled on the edge of Adam's bed and asked, "Where's Randor?"

Man-at-Arms looked to the floor and said, "I don't know. I assume he's either in the dining room or his office. He told me to send for him when Adam was out of the shower and feeling better."

The queen's jaw dropped as a mixture of shock, hurt, and anger overcame her. "He didn't feel things were important enough to stick around?" she asked.

Before Duncan could even form a coherent answer in his mind, the bathroom door opened to reveal Prince Adam wearing nothing but a towel tied at his waist.

Adam had heard his mother's question through the shut door and when he finally set his eyes on her, he simply shook his head and answered, "Why would he stick around? I'm not important to him. He thinks I'm capable of such horrible things and that I'm a horrible prince. He doesn't want to be here…" Adam's eyes lowered to the ground before he added in a whisper, "And, I don't know if I want him to be here either."

Marlena quickly rose to hug her son, but Adam quickly lifted a hand to stop her motion. "I just want to get dressed," he said softly. "I don't want to talk about it. I just want to forget it ever happened."

Duncan and Marlena gave each other worried glances before Duncan said, "I'm afraid that's not possible, Adam. King Randor still wants to speak with you, and given that what happened this morning had so many spectators, I doubt it's going to be something easily forgotten."

Adam walked hurriedly over to his closet, grabbed another set of his customary garb, and shook his head as he mumbled to himself. He felt so angry he just wanted to hit something. He heard his mother coming to stand behind him, and he mentally prepared himself for his mother's heartfelt pleas to talk this out and to forgive his father. The truth was—and he was ashamed to admit this to himself—he actually felt relieved to have a legitimate reason to be mad at his father that everyone could know about. Anger was a much better friend than sadness, and given this morning's events and words, it had to be one or the other. Anger was so much safer.

Adam was just about to turn around to excuse himself back into the lavatory to get dressed when he heard his mother let out a loud gasp. He quickly turned around to see his mother staring at him with bewildered eyes and tears slipping down her cheeks.

"Mother?" he asked quickly eliminating the few feet between them.

Marlena lifted a shaky hand to his side, almost to his back. She looked up into his eyes as she asked, "What happened?"

Adam's look was one of bewilderment, but his questions were quickly answered when she asked, "Where did those bruises come from?"

Adam shook his head and actually smiled at his mother sadly. "I don't know. I guess I got them during the explosion at Grayskull." He pushed past his mother and headed back to the lavatory.

This was the first time Man-at-Arms got a good look at what Marlena and Randor had seen on their son. He found himself gasping, as well. The boy's lower back was covered with a dark black and purple mass. It didn't look like a bunch of small bruises clumping together. No, it looked like one massive bruise which was caused by something with a lot of force. He knew it could only be as a result of Skeletor’s and Evil Lyn's energy bolts. There was no way Randor nor Marlena would ever believe a sparring lesson with Teela or the explosion at Grayskull several days ago caused this.

As Adam shut the door, Duncan's mouth went dry when Queen Marlena turned to face him. She looked incredibly sad, but he could see she was trying to keep it in check. "Okay," she said in a shaky but strong voice, "Duncan, you and I need to have a little chat. There will be no Adam, Teela, or Randor…just you and me. Let's go."

Duncan watched as Marlena left the room and he quickly gave one last look to Adam's lavatory door before obediently following his queen.

=)=)=)

Teela didn't know where she was going but she ran as fast as he could until her legs could take her no farther. When she finally looked around, she noticed she was in one of the Royal Exhibits which featured various artifacts from Eternia's past. The one that stuck out the most was the Rainbow Explorer which had brought King Randor his wife and the planet its queen.

Usually when Teela stared at the alien craft, a feeling of awe came over her as she remembered the queen's impeccable flying skills that had taught her very much that appearances were deceiving. She would never have guessed that Queen Marlena was such a skilled pilot. Normally, these thoughts made her smile but as she stared at the Explorer now, all she felt was a numb sadness. Even though the ship was his mother's, at that very moment, it only served the purpose of reminding her of Adam.

Teela walked over to the ship and sat down underneath it. She brought her legs up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. To say she was shocked was a minor observation. What she had learned today had shaken her very core. She would never have suspected Adam was capable of doing the things he was obviously doing. "So, that's where he goes all the time?" she thought miserably. "When we're in trouble and Eternia is seemingly heading towards certain doom, is he rushing to another woman's arms to be there with her come good or worse?"

Teela tried hard to push those thoughts aside. Why did she care so much about Adam's actions, anyway? This was only another example of Adam making a fool out of himself. She really shouldn't be surprised…

"But I am!" she wailed.

Abruptly, she stood up and kicked the footing of the Rainbow Explorer. "I swear I could HATE him," she screamed to no one in particular. Then, as a few tears slipped down her cheeks, she realized she really couldn't hate him and that's what was hurting her so much. He was her best friend and over the course of their years together, she had grown to care for him very deeply. But how deep did it go?

Teela had never allowed herself to answer that question, much less even ponder it. If she was honest with herself, she would admit that she loved it when Adam was around. She had said as much to her father when he had asked her one time if she thought things were more pleasant when Adam was around. She had truly meant it when she said yes, but she had also meant it when she told him in the same breath that he had better not tell Adam she said such a thing aloud. She didn't want him to know. But why did she love it so much when Adam was around, she found herself asking.

There were a number of reasons and all of them just didn't fit in with everything she had learned today. The Adam she knew would never treat a woman in such a manner.

"He's never even had a girlfriend for crying out loud!" she said aloud. "I'm the closest thing he's ever had…"

Teela silenced as she realized what she was saying. Sobs tore through Teela as she finished her thought internally: "I'm the closest thing to a girlfriend he’s ever had." Sure, he flirted with courtiers and tried to impress them, but she could tell he was never serious with any of them. He just enjoyed talking to them because they would allow him to have fun and goof off.

Teela wiped her eyes when she realized these other women were possibly giving Adam something she hadn't and that's what caused all of this.

"I've lost him," she whispered.

Teela almost clamped a hand over her mouth at such a thought. Since when did she ever "have" the prince in the first place? But of course, who was she trying to fool besides herself? She knew her feelings for the prince went further than mere friendship or sisterly love even though that is all she ever claimed in the light of day. It was then that Teela realized that at the end of the day, that's why she had run away from what was happening around her in the hall. She didn't want to hear how Adam had been finding comfort, friendship, and pleasure with someone besides her. She reminded herself of all the times women had flirted and flaunted themselves in front of the prince and all she could ever manage was a stern glance at these women while Adam wasn't looking. She wouldn't dare reveal her true emotions, but if she had, it was possible Adam wouldn't be in the predicament he was in now.

Teela looked one more time up at the Rainbow Explorer and couldn't believe how much her life was being changed in the span of a few days. First, she learned she was a horrible bodyguard and friend. Then, she learned that Adam was actually doing things to put himself in danger. And, now, she was learning that she had lost him to women who probably didn't deserve or even know him. They probably only want him because he's a prince.

Like King Randor, Teela wanted to be mad at Adam, but once again, all she could feel was a numb pain which told her that she had some fault in what had transpired. If only she had been open with Adam. Why was it so awful to admit she had feelings for her charge, the prince? For such a long time, she thought the reason was because she had feelings for He-Man. That was a very real reason for Teela, but it wasn't just He-Man that kept her from admitting her feelings…

Teela closed her eyes as she realized just what the problem was:  it would certainly cause a scandal and the whole kingdom would be talking about it. She honestly didn't know if she wanted to go through all of that. It wasn't that she cared about what other people thought…but what would her father say? Better yet, what would his father say? It didn't matter now, anyway. Adam didn't want her; he wanted these women he had been parading around with.

At least the situation settled a debate that had been subconsciously going around in her mind for years now: Adam or He-Man? It was clear He-Man, as always, had won the battle.

=)=)=)

Queen Marlena led Man-at-Arms to her sitting room outside her and Randor's bedchambers. Once they arrived in the room, Duncan stood there silently, waiting for the onslaught of questions he knew the queen had for him.

Marlena, however, stayed silent for several seconds as she tried to clear her head of all the emotions she was feeling right now. She felt anger at Randor for accusing their son of basically having concubines and for treating him in such a manner. She felt angry at herself for actually believing Randor for a split second. She was also angry at Duncan because she had no doubt in her mind that he did know what was going on, and she was mad at Adam for not being more open with her in the first place. She knew he had a suspicion that she knew one of his bigger secrets—she made sure he did on the last day of last year’s Royal Jousts. Of course, she didn't only feel anger. She also felt sad and incredibly guilty, but she had to stay the course.

Marlena raised her eyes to meet Duncan's and said, "There was a time when I thought you were our most loyal associate."

Duncan flinched at these words and quickly said, "But I am, Your Majesty."

Marlena stood in front of Duncan and with pleading eyes she whispered, "Then, why do you repeatedly lie to me, Duncan? I'm not blind. I'm quite aware that my husband can be quite unobservant of such things because his mind is always on the kingdom, but I do pay attention, and I know you do, too. I've known for quite a while that Adam has been hiding something from me and Randor…well, from all of us. I always knew, probably just as long as you, but I never said anything at first just in case it was a figment of my imagination. Instead, I watched Adam for a while trying to confirm my suspicions. Eventually, I did. But over the past few weeks, I’ve noticed a bigger and more frightening change in Adam. It’s like there is something else going on now. He has been growing more and more irritable. If we were on Earth, I would think he was hanging with the wrong crowd and that they were teaching him perhaps how to behave in such a way. Teenagers go through such stages there…"

Duncan cut Marlena off by saying, "He's irritable because he has a lot going on in his life. He's a crown prince, his father is constantly getting on his case about how foolish and irresponsible he supposedly is, he's constantly having to deal with the Captain of the Guard getting on his case, and now both of his parents are questioning him all the time…He wouldn't be a mortal if all of this wasn't finally getting to him."

To this, Marlena pivoted around and went to sit in a chair across the room. Once she sat down, she looked up at her husband's oldest friend, bit her lip deciding to bite the bullet, and replied, "I think I always knew that, Duncan. I guess I was just being selfish. At first I thought I was doing it for Adam, getting everything out in the open."

Duncan walked across the room to his queen and knelt before her. "What did you want out in the open?"

Marlena sighed and explained, "I was tired of Adam not trusting me. I knew a part of the secret—the biggest part, I suppose—but I grew tired of him being so secretive and not letting me in. I wanted to know more simply because there was so much I didn't know. He's my son…I have a right to know. Where does he run off to all the time when he leaves the palace? Is he always running off to go on dangerous adventures? Does he ever go simply to relax with Cringer? Does he prefer his other life over the one he has here and that's what keeps pulling him away when we want to spend time with him? Given all these questions, I had to get Randor involved. I knew he would do his best to get down to the bottom of things. Besides, I wanted him to wake up and notice Adam. Of course, I never knew it would go so far…"

Duncan reached out and grabbed her hand. "My Queen," he whispered, "Adam doesn't have any other life. What Randor has accused him of is not true."

Marlena ripped her hand away from Duncan who still wasn’t getting it and said, "At first, I believed Randor because it fit with recent happenings so well and it seemed like Adam was admitting to it, but I was fooled for only a few mere seconds. I know Adam isn't misbehaving with courtiers, Duncan."

"Then, by the Ancients, what are you talking about?" Duncan asked, clearly getting irritated.

Marlena sighed and answered, "I'm talking about Adam's life as He-Man."

If Marlena had been on Earth, she knew she would have been able to hear the countless ticks on a clock as Man-at-Arms let her words sink in.

After a few gurgled attempts to say something came from Man-at-Arms, he finally cleared his throat and exclaimed, "You know? You couldn't possibly…what was with all the questioning and accusations?"

Marlena sighed and said, "I already told you. I knew that part of the secret, but I was tired of not knowing everything. Where does Adam run off to all the time? Every time he leaves the palace, I know it's not with you to go on some battle against Skeletor. When he does leave and I know he hasn't been in battle, why does he return so tired?  My concerns and resentment over not knowing my son as I should increased over the past couple of weeks. I noticed him getting more and more tired and irritable. It started to concern me, so I originally thought it would make things a whole lot easier for us all if…" She trailed off.

"If everyone knew?" asked Duncan unbelievingly with a hint of anger.

"Not everyone," defended Marlena. "Just me and Randor. Perhaps even Teela."

Duncan immediately covered his face with his hands and rubbed his eyes with his fingers. When he finally removed them and looked at Marlena, he said loudly, "My Queen, forgive me for having the audacity to speak to you in such a way, but I can't help it:  you're clearly not that naïve, so I can't fathom for the life of me that you couldn't figure out everything you wanted to know if you found out the big piece of the puzzle. You're right. Adam isn't always with me fighting Skeletor when he goes out, but there are more things that go wrong on Eternia than Skeletor that needs He-Man's help and attention. The boy just about never gets a break wherever he goes. It doesn't take a genius to figure that out!"

Tears slipped down Marlena's cheeks as she heard Duncan's verbal lashings. “But I want to know what those things are. I want to know what he’s going through.”

Duncan ignored her explanations and continued almost to himself, "I can't believe you pretended this whole time not to know and even got Randor involved! I can tell from today's accusations that you haven't told him. I praise the Ancients for that, but nonetheless, what you have done is wrong and horribly foolish. Do you realize what you have put your son through? Do you realize what you're doing to your family?"

"I know now!" Marlena cried as her words to Randor last night came back to haunt her: _"I should have never made an issue about Adam's bizarre behavior, his constant disappearances, and the fact that he's keeping a part of himself closed off from us. Things were fine. We just pretended nothing was wrong, and it worked."_ She shook her head and said to Man-at-Arms, "I didn't mean for things to turn out like this. I feel so incredibly guilty, Duncan. I almost told Randor the truth last night, but I stopped myself. I knew there had to be valid reasons as to why he and I were never told the secret in the first place. After I heard Adam admitting to having a secret earlier and saying he was trying to protect us, I knew I had to make this right. I knew I had to talk to you."

Man-at-Arms actually snorted at the queen before he questioned, "Why? Do you think I will help you tell Randor? I hope you realize this is a secret that I have sworn to the Sorceress I would protect. It would only make things worse for Adam…"

“No, I don’t want you to help me tell Randor, but I wish you would understand that I thought we had a right to know. I want to know the dangers my son faces. I want to be able to know when my son gets hurt and why he's covered in bruises like he is today. Randor has as much right to know as I do…But more than that, I want to fix the pain I have caused these last few days. I truly believe Adam, Randor, and I can resolve this He-Man issue once everything has settled down."

Duncan repeated, “Once everything has settled down? We have to resolve things before that can happen.” He shook his head. “Despite the fact that I now know what's going on, I still don't know how to resolve anything. How am I going to get Randor off Adam's back? Now he's suspicious of me! I always feel bad about lying to you and Randor, but now it's ten times worse because I know he knows that I'm doing it. Before, I could just shrug it off and say it's my duty, but now my actions are constantly being thrown in my face. I know I am betraying Randor since I took an oath of allegiance to him. But I…"

"I'm sorry," cried Marlena, interrupting him. She wiped her tears away and asked, "Do you think it would do any good to tell Adam? I know he might be angry with me for purposely instigating all of this with Randor, but if you think it will help him at all to understand what’s going on, then I will. And, at least, then, he can have the option to open up to me."

Duncan glared at her for a second and replied, "I guess you're getting what you wanted after all."

Marlena shook her head. "I know I was being selfish, but my intentions were good."

Duncan sighed and then after a few seconds said, "I know they were. He is your son, and I know it was probably torture to know that your son was purposely keeping things from you. You already knew one secret and you wanted to know the rest. I know if the same thing was going on with Teela, I would do anything to find out what it was. It's just that things are so out of hand now."

"But we'll fix it," Marlena said hopefully but confidently at the same time.

Duncan nodded and said, "But first, we do need to talk to Adam."


	13. The Confession

 

Noticing Adam Chapter 13

Adam stepped out of his bathroom and sighed in relief as he found his room completely empty. Even Cringer was gone, and he could only assume his pet was in the dining room waiting to be served his breakfast. Taking advantage of the opportunity that hadn't presented itself during daylight in such a long time, Adam quickly climbed on his bed, laid down, shut his eyes, and allowed himself to rest and simply think about everything.

All on its own accord, his thoughts immediately went to his father. To say the very least, Adam was still very angry with the King of Eternia. Not only had his father implicitly declared his son was a horrible prince, but he had also accused him of such vile things that should have never even crossed the king's mind in the first place. The anger Adam felt quickly washed away to sadness as he thought, "And, that's what hurts the most. He doesn't even know me, and he probably doesn't want to. He has always had this image of me as an incompetent young fool, and every chance he gets, he tries to find ways to prove that I'm exactly that."

Adam ran his fingers through his hair and then looked exasperatedly at the door to his bedchambers. "And, if he can't find anything," he thought, getting angry again, "he makes it up."

Not being able to lay still any longer with the anger he felt bubbling inside, Adam jumped off the bed in a single stride. He started pacing the room, not really knowing what else to do to make the anger he felt recede. He had just made his fourth rotation in this pace when a light knock wrapped against his door.

His immediate reaction was to sigh. Over the past few years, it seemed like no one ever visited his rooms for good reasons anymore. As a result, he knew he wasn't going to be too happy about whatever conversation he was about to embark on. The only question was who would be the bringers of today's bad news. Without a sound in response to the knocking, Adam walked over and opened the door to reveal his mother and Man-at-Arms.

Seeing these two together wasn't extremely uncommon, but seeing them together, coming to his bedchambers was. It meant they had something they both had to discuss with him, and for the life of him, he couldn't imagine what it was. Surely, they weren't back to discuss his bruises, because he was certain Man-at-Arms would have tried his best to stop any kind of interrogation. He certainly wouldn't escort the queen to his chambers to do so. So, why had they come?

Adam swallowed slowly and opened his mouth to question his visitors when his mother literally threw herself into his arms and started crying. He didn't know what else he could do, so Adam immediately wrapped his arms around her and pulled her farther into his room as Man-at-Arms followed them inside and shut the door.

After several seconds of feeling Adam's strong but caring arms around her, Marlena finally felt confident and strong enough to pull away and face whatever would come. She gazed into her son's face and immediately felt guilty for the concern she saw there. He had every reason to be concerned, and now she just had to tell him why.

The only problem was she didn't know how to begin. She stared at her son for several seconds before abruptly asking, "What would you say, Adam, if I told you I know your deepest, darkest secret?"

Adam paused and quickly glanced at Man-at-Arms who took a seat in his green chair. He met Adam's eyes and said, "I think you need to sit down, as well, son."

As Duncan suggested, Adam walked to his bed, sat down, and looked up at his mother expectantly.

She knew he wasn't going to admit to anything, and it looked like he wasn't even going to answer the question she posed. She couldn't blame him. In fact, she expected as much. He had kept this secret for so long, and if recent events had told her anything, it's that he would protect this secret until the very end. She sighed and whispered, "I know you're He-Man."

Adam had to strain to hear his mother's confession, but he did, indeed, hear it. His eyebrows only rose slightly, before he looked down at the floor.

Queen Marlena was expecting much more of a reaction, so his seemingly nonchalant response was confusing her. "Adam?" she questioned as she touched his shoulder and stared down at him.

Finally, Adam looked up and gave his mother a little smile. It wasn't a smile to show he was happy that she learned his secret; it was a smile to show her that he was okay. Marlena instinctively knew this. As quickly as the smile appeared, it vanished. He leaned back slightly on the bed and used his hands to balance himself.

After Adam let the revelation sink in, which didn't take long, he sighed and said, "I wish I could say this came as more of a shock, Mother. I know you were expecting an outburst or something, but the truth is for a long time until recently, I thought you knew the secret. It does surprise me that you're only now figuring it out, though."

At his statement, Marlena widened her eyes and a little whine escaped her throat as her son continued to explain.

"I was so sure after you had rescued all of us from Skeletor with the Rainbow Explorer that you knew. Of course, I wasn't completely sure, and that's why I never mentioned it, but your actions and words always told me you did. I guess I just grew accustomed to the thought that you knew the secret, and that's why it doesn't bother me as much right now. And, why would it? You're my mother." He genuinely smiled at her.

Marlena had tears in her eyes and she hoped Adam didn't interpret them as tears of joy. She quickly walked to the side of the bed and sat down. She put her hand on Adam's knee and whispered, "Oh, Adam, I did know back, then. I've known your secret for quite some time."

Now, Adam was finally giving her the response she had expected. He looked bewildered and confused. After he let the words sink in for a few moments, he jumped off the bed and stared at his mother. It looked like he was still having problems processing the information. He glanced over at Man-at-Arms who had stood up when Adam had gotten to his feet.

"Adam," said Man-at-Arms, preparing to offer some comfort.

Adam cut him off short and said, "Duncan, I would appreciate it if you would let my mother and I talk alone."

Duncan eyes widened for only a second before nodding. He quickly left the room and shut the door softly.

With Duncan gone, Adam sighed and he felt like a mountain of air was released. He kept his back toward the queen and said, "It doesn't make sense, Mother."

The tears in Marlena's eyes were finally falling.

Adam turned around and saw the tears, but he couldn't…wouldn't mention them until he learned exactly what was going on, even though it killed him. "Mother, please explain this to me. There was a time when I thought you knew, but in light of everything that's happened recently…all your suspicions, questioning, complaints, it seemed brutally clear that you didn't know. If you have all this time, then why were you making such a big deal about my disappearances and going off to Drisdos alone?"

Marlena stood face-to-face with her son and replied, "I know it doesn't make sense, Adam, but the truth is I was tired of being left in the dark. I was genuinely scared for your well-being. I wanted to be able to talk to you about your life as He-Man, and it was killing me that you wouldn't. I know you go off and fight Skeletor occasionally, but I also know that there are so many other activities that you do on Eternia. I tried to explain this to Duncan, but I don’t think he understood." She paused and could tell Adam didn't understand, either. "I just want to know what you're doing. You're my son, and it kills me that I never know what danger you're putting yourself in. It hurts that you come back tired and worn out and I never know why. A mother should be able to talk to her son. She should be able to discuss his life as a whole with him, but I couldn't do that until you admitted your secret."

Adam closed his eyes and shook his head as her words trailed off. "It still doesn't make sense, Mother. By the Ancients, why didn't you just come to me and ask? I don't see what a big deal that would have made. I would have either admitted it or denied it. And, if I wasn't He-Man--which undoubtedly you knew there was no danger of that--I would have only laughed it off and thought you had either temporarily lost your mind or that you were playing. But to go about it in this way doesn't make any sense. Do you realize what you've put me through these last few days alone?"

Tears continued to pour down Marlena's cheek as she nodded. "I never meant for it to get this bad, Adam. I know I could have come to you, but I had a plan…"

"You had a plan," repeated Adam, cutting her off. "What kind of plan? What difference would this plan have made than just asking me?"

"I wanted your father to discover your secret," she explained. "I knew you would never voluntarily reveal it to him, and I knew if I openly admitted to you that I knew, you would make me promise never to reveal the secret as you did Man-at-Arms and Orko."

Adam's eyes widened. "You know Orko knows?"

Marlena smiled sadly and said, "Of course. How could he not since you spend so much time together and he can come and go as he pleases in a mere second?"

Adam looked down at the floor and returned to the primary discussion. "If you wanted my father to know so badly, why didn't you just tell him?"

"Because I knew it would be wrong. I know that everyone who knows has been sworn to secrecy. Just because I figured out your secret…I knew it didn't give me the right to reveal it. It's your secret, not mine. I just thought if I made your father aware of your disappearances and your tiredness when you come back to the palace that he would be concerned enough to notice you more. He would start worrying and asking questions. I was hoping he would put two and two together. I knew eventually he would…or you would eventually admit it, or there would be some kind of mistake where he would simply find out."

Adam squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head. When he reopened them, he walked over to his chair and sat down. He buried his head in his hands. When he finally looked back at his mother, he asked, "Why do you want him to know so badly? What makes all of this heartache worth it? What was your reasoning?"

Marlena swallowed roughly and answered, "I was tired of seeing the way your father treated you. I was tired of seeing him act all sanctimonious. I just get the impression sometimes that he thinks you contribute nothing to Eternia, when in reality, you contribute more than he does! You keep the planet and Castle Grayskull safe. Without you, he wouldn't have a kingdom to run. I thought if he knew he would show you more respect. He would even start being a father again, instead of a dictator."

"So, that's what this was all about?” questioned Adam, staring at the floor. "You want the King of Eternia to be a father to his son?" Adam looked up at his mother. "The king has stopped that role a long time ago. I know he cares for me because I am his son, but he doesn't know me, Mother. I don't even think he wants to. That's why this…plan of yours would never have worked!" Adam stood up, and Marlena gasped when she saw his face. It was red from anger.

"He never would have taken the time to notice!" cried Adam, his voice getting louder. "And, besides, I don't want him to respect or love me just because he knows my secret. He already thinks He-Man would be a better prince! He's always telling me I could learn a lot from him. If he knew my secret, he would only be happy that I was him. He wouldn't realize that it was Prince Adam this whole time. No, he'd be happy because He-Man is his son, not Adam."

Marlena's jaw dropped. "That's not true!" she exclaimed.

Adam's face went a shade darker and he exploded, "Yes, it is, and you know it's true; otherwise you never would have gone through all this trouble of trying to make him find out! But you know what, Mother, you're right. It wasn't your place to tell him, and it still isn't. As a matter of fact, it wasn't even your place to set it up where he might find out or I might collapse and tell him. Do you hear what I'm saying, Mother? He would never have figured it out. He would never take the time to notice me, so basically you were campaigning for me to breakdown!"

"No!" Marlena cried out. "That's not it! I would never do such a thing!"

"Oh really?" asked Adam, finally bringing his voice down to a reasonable level. A look of sadness covered his face as he stated, "Because that is exactly what you've done. Mother, this whole ordeal actually made me resent being He-Man. My feelings and emotions are becoming so much harder to control. I can't even think clearly sometimes when it comes to this whole mess. Teela thinks I'm some perverted womanizer, so I doubt she'll even let me come near her to make her think otherwise. Father thinks my deep, dark secret is exactly that, so dark that it's disgusting and wrong. I guess the only thing this whole situation has accomplished, which I can thank you for, is that I finally heard my father say I was a horrible prince. He finally admitted his feelings."

Marlena gasped.

"Thank you," whispered Adam and then pressed his lips together in a fine line.

Marlena shook her head and replied, "He doesn't believe that, Adam. He doesn't."

Adam shook his head and said, "Then, why did he say it? It doesn't matter, anymore, Mother. All I know is that I can't believe you put me through this." He closed his eyes and said, "I have to get away."

Marlena quickly rushed to Adam and hugged him. "What are you talking about? No, Adam. I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry."

Adam didn't hug his mother back. He kept his eyes shut to keep his tears from falling. "I just need to get away from this palace. I need to be around people who I know accept and love me. I need to go somewhere where I'm not being conspired against."

Marlena held her son tighter and cried, "But you are loved here, and I do accept you! I wasn't conspiring against you, Adam! I really wasn't! Please try to understand!"

Adam finally opened his eyes and pushed his mother away from him slightly. "I am trying to understand, but like I said my emotions are just so up and down at this moment that I don't even know what I'm feeling. I just need to get away to clear my head. I won't be gone long." He sighed and then grimaced, "After all, Eternia needs its champion."

Marlena cupped her son's cheek and asked, "Where will you go?"

Adam looked out his bedroom window and said, "To the only person who might understand."

-


	14. Secrets Still Untold

 Noticing Adam Chapter 14

Queen Marlena walked into the dining room and immediately looked down at the floor when her eyes met with Man-at-Arm's questioning look. She knew he had probably been hoping mother and son would come to breakfast together after their talk. She had a feeling that wouldn't happen for quite some time now.

Very slowly the queen made her way to her usual seat beside her husband. When she sat down, Randor grabbed her hand and held it as he settled a cold stare on Man-at-Arms. "I take it since you're here that Adam is okay. I thought I told you to send for me when he was feeling better."

Man-at-Arms winced at the hostility he heard in his king's voice. He could tell just from the look in Randor's eyes that he was not in good favor at the moment. Duncan cleared his throat to give an explanation when Queen Marlena spoke instead.

"Duncan left the room shortly after you did, dear," she explained. "I needed to talk to Adam alone about a few things." She met Randor's gaze as he turned to her. Tears welled up in her eyes and she whispered, "I don't think Adam will be coming to breakfast this morning." Abruptly, Marlena turned forward and stared down at her plate.

Randor let go of Marlena's hand and quickly brought his hand up to Marlena's chin to guide her eyes to his. "What's wrong?" he whispered.

After Marlena kept her silence, the king furrowed his brow and asked loudly, "Do I need to talk to that boy of mine again? By the Ancients! First, his laziness and cowardliness; then his attitude; and now, he's upset his mother…"

Unable to hear her husband badmouth Adam for another second, she yelled out, "STOP, RANDOR!"

Randor's and Duncan's eyes fell on the queen and neither uttered a syllable. The look she settled on Randor almost broke his heart. Her eyes showed a raw pain that he never saw there before; it startled him, but more than that, it scared him. "Just stop it," she whispered softly.

At that moment, the servers came into the room, but Randor couldn't turn away from his wife. Ignoring the presence of the kitchen staff in the room, he said, "Marlena, please, tell me what's going on. Clearly you're upset, and I know it has to do with Adam. He's been the cause of most of the trouble around here lately."

Hearing those words, Marlena’s tears began to fall. It was just too much. "None of this is his fault," she cried out through her tears. "It's mine."

Randor's eyes immediately widened when he heard his wife's confession, even though he had no idea what she was referring to. How could she be at any fault? "Marlena?" he questioned.

Marlena looked at Randor and replied, "He's leaving us because of me. He says he'll come back, but I'm not so sure. I never saw him more hurt than he was today. This is my fault." She quickly pushed her plate away before any of the staff could serve her and dropped her head to the table. She used her arms to cover her face so no one could see her.

More than slightly confused, Randor wrapped his arms around his queen. He was about to coax her to sit up and talk to him until Randor noticed the looks most of the kitchen staff were flashing their way. He suddenly realized his entire family had been putting on quite a show for numerous people that morning. They would surely be the hot topic in Eternos and probably the neighboring kingdoms today. He stood and ordered, "I want everyone out of this room…now."

Almost immediately, the kitchen staff set the plates and bowls of food on the table and left the room as quickly as possible.

Duncan stood also prepared to leave the room. He doubted Randor would want him to stay since the king now believed he was lying to him and keeping secrets when it concerned Adam. He was ashamed to admit it but a part of him actually wanted to be mad at Randor. How could Randor accuse him of lying to him and keeping secrets? Hadn't he proved his allegiance to him years ago? Hadn't he already proven that he was his friend?

Of course, as quickly as these thoughts entered his mind, the horrible truth hit Duncan with such clarity that he realized it was useless to be mad at the king. "He's right," he thought to himself, regrettably. "I am lying to him and I am keeping secrets. Why should I be mad that he's finally catching on? The king is not a dumb man. I should have known this would happen sooner or later."

He wished it would have happened a lot later. What a time for the king to suddenly smarten up! Of course, most of this was thanks to Queen Marlena. She wanted the king to be more aware of their son and what was going on around him. He felt the irrational desire to congratulate her on a job well done, but he knew such sarcasm wouldn't help matters. She was clearly very upset about something, and from what little she did say, he knew she was upset about Adam. What had happened after he left the room? What left her so upset that she couldn't control her tears?

Duncan was walking across the room to leave the dining room when he heard the king's gruff voice behind him bark out, "Why are you leaving? Afraid that I'm going to send more questions your way?"

Man-at-Arms quickly turned back and met the king's eyes. The stare Randor had settled on him was cold, very cold. Duncan sighed and answered, "I thought you wanted me to leave the room so you and the queen could talk alone."

Marlena lifted her head, looked at Randor, and then at Man-at-Arms. "A fine mess I've made out of things, huh?" she said aloud.

Randor quickly turned back to his wife and asked, "What mess have you made? Marlena, nothing that has happened is your fault."

Before Randor could get another word out, Marlena quickly rested a finger on her husband's lips to hush him. She decided it was time for the truth to come out. It was now or never.

=)=)=)

Adam slipped out into the courtyard, determined to make a clear getaway before his mother, or anyone else for that matter, tried to stop him. He never thought he would ever find himself running away from Eternos.

"I'm not running away," Adam told himself silently. "I'm just going away to clear my head. There's nothing wrong with that."

He immediately ran to the wall that surrounded the enormous palace and followed it to one of the openings which led outside of the palace grounds. As soon as he came to the opening, he sighed thankfully, grateful to make such an easy and quick escape.

"Going to meet up with one of your mistresses?" a small voice behind him called out.

Adam quickly turned around to find Teela standing there in a state he had never seen her in before. Her usually neat and combed hair which she had tied into a bun was now coming loose and falling out. Her eyes were red and puffy, probably from crying for a long time. He knew he had to squelch his impulse and response to feel guilty, because if he showed that emotion on his face, only the Ancients knew how she would interpret it.

Despite being desperate to leave the palace, he took a step towards Teela and said, "I don't have any mistresses. You know me better than that, Teela."

Teela's face wrinkled and Adam was sure she was going to burst into tears. Instead, she took a calming breath and said coolly, "I thought I did, but I just realized today that you're a complete stranger to me."

Adam closed the distance between them, and Teela tried to abruptly move away, but he grabbed her shoulders and held her firmly in place. "This is all one huge misunderstanding," he said, desperately trying to convince her. "The truth is I'm not having sex with anyone, Teela. The king was wrong. I'm not going out at night and meeting ladies; I would never do such a thing. Please, Teela…you have to believe me."

Teela was looking down at their feet, but as Adam went silent, she raised her eyes to meet his. "I want to believe you, but where would your father get such a notion? And, you were practically admitting it in the hall."

"We were having two different conversations," Adam exclaimed, suddenly angry. "I thought he was accusing me of something else. Never in my wildest dreams did I know he would think I was capable of doing such horrific things. I had no clue that he knew so little about me. Well, I guess I did, but I never knew it was that bad."

Teela's eyes widened at Adam's words and she opened her mouth to speak, but Adam put a finger against her lips and whispered, "You're my best friend, Teela. We practically grew up together…you have to believe me."

Teela slowly stepped back and Adam let his hands drop from her shoulders. He told her the truth, and if she still wanted to walk away, then he would have to accept that. Immediately, Teela walked to a nearby fountain and sat down. She looked where Adam stood and was startled at his posture and the look on his face. She had never seen him look so worried and so defeated. Of course, even a carefree prince couldn't be unaffected by today's accusations.

"Adam," she said firmly, “come here."

Adam looked around the courtyard to assure no one was coming and went to stand in front of Teela. "I don't have much time," he said and quickly glanced back at the opening.

Teela's brow furrowed and Adam immediately knew she believed him and now she was going to berate him for worrying her and whatever else was on her mind, in true Teela fashion. He prepared himself for the attack, even though he wanted so desperately to hug her for believing in him.

Teela sized Adam up and down from her seated position and asked, "And, where are you off to in such a hurry, then?"

Adam looked guilty, then, and immediately, Teela stood in front of her prince. "I believe you, Adam. I don't really know why I believed the king's accusations. I guess because it seemed like you were admitting to them, but now that I know that isn't the case, I know something else is going on."

Adam shook his head, but before he could utter a word, Teela held up her hand to silence him. "You were admitting to something. We just don't know what it was. You said so yourself, you were having two different conversations. If I am to believe that you are not sleeping around, then I have to believe that part of the story, as well. What are you hiding, Adam? You can tell me; you know you can trust me."

Adam never wanted so desperately to tell somebody his secret. He opened his mouth, but the words just wouldn't…couldn't come. He shook his head and whispered, "I can't tell you."

"Can't or won't?" asked Teela angrily. "Adam, the entire palace seems like it's turned upside down and it's because you refuse to tell your parents, my father, and me what's going on. I think things would be easier for you if you would just tell us the truth and let us in. It has to be something pretty major for you to keep this from everyone. We can help you with whatever it is. Surely, you know that, Adam."

Adam nodded. "I do know that, Teela, but I **can't** tell you." He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he reopened them, he saw that Teela had her arms folded across her chest. He knew she was not going to take no for an answer. He sighed. "I would tell you if I could. The Ancients know I would, but I can't. I can't deny any longer that I have a secret thanks to my mother and my father's accusations, but that doesn't change anything else. I'm still who I am, and I still have a responsibility."

Teela was bristling. She couldn't believe Adam was still refusing to fess up. "Yes, you do have a responsibility," she spat. "You have a responsibility to your people to be honest with them. You have a responsibility to your friends and family to let them in to help you. Don't you see that? You always want to help others, and I find it ironic that you're unwilling to do the same for us."

Adam merely dropped his gaze to the ground and whispered, "Can you just be happy that I'm not a pervert and forget that today ever happened? I just want things to go back to how they used to be. Go back to thinking I'm the useless, cowardly, carefree prince."

The words had been almost inaudible, but Teela did hear them. She was prepared to yell at him more until she saw the sudden upheaval of his chest and his abrupt turn.

Adam started walking away to the opening with a clear determination to reach it. Teela looked back to see if he was running from anyone. She was the only one in the courtyard. Her heart jumped into her throat and then she yelled, "Adam, wait!"

Adam stopped as he reached the opening but didn't turn back to face her.

She ran to Adam and ran her hand across his back as she went around his body to face him. She dipped her head underneath his to catch his eyes and saw the tears streaming down his face. It broke Teela's heart and she immediately engulfed him with a huge hug. She even shed a few tears of her own.

"What's all this?" she cried. "Why are you leaving, and why are you crying? What's going on, Adam? Please, tell me."

Adam wrapped his arms around Teela and held her tightly for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, he pulled back, met her watery gaze, and said, "There are so many things I want to tell you, and inevitably, one day you will find out, but that day is not today, Teela."

He said it with such finality that a shiver ran up Teela's side. For once, she knew she couldn't bully Adam into doing what she wanted him to. She licked her lips and pondered what would be so important that Adam would hide a part of himself from her…from his parents.

She stared into his blue eyes for several moments before asking, "Do you promise you'll tell me one day and before we're both old and dying?"

Adam gave a small nod. "I know I can promise you that, and I do," he whispered and then gave her one last hug. He then pulled away and headed out of the palace walls.

Teela followed him and said, "Where are you going? I'm not going to hound you, for now. We can talk about anything else that you want."

Adam looked back and said, "I'll take you up on that offer later, but right now, I need to be going."

"Where to?" she asked again.

"I might as well be honest at least about this," Adam thought to himself.

He smiled at his childhood companion and said, "To Castle Grayskull. I think a trip back to Etheria to see my sister has been long overdue, and I really need to talk to her."

It was very clear to Teela that Adora knew whatever secret Adam was hiding. She nodded at Adam and said, "As long as you're talking to someone, I suppose."

Adam nodded and asked, "Watch Cringer for me?"

"You bet," she replied with a small and sad smile. "Don't stay gone too long."

"I won't," he said, but before he could turn around, Teela ran to him and hugged him again.

Adam laughed and said, "What's with all these tears and hugs? Surely, this is not the Captain Teela who gives me a hard time every single day of my life."

Teela pulled back, playfully slapped at his arm, and said, "I honestly don't know why I'm acting like this. What can I say, Adam? You drive me crazy."

Adam smiled and Teela returned the sentiment with a dazzling smile of her own. Before Adam could turn away to leave, Teela grabbed his neck, pulled his head close, and gave him a kiss on the forehead.

Adam had a really hard time pulling away. This was the closest he had ever felt to Teela and he had wanted that closeness for so long, but right now, he needed to get away. He needed to talk to someone who understood his situation. Adora would certainly be surprised by the actions of all three members of her immediate family, he suspected.


	15. To Hear or Not to Hear?

Noticing Adam Chapter 15

Marlena removed her finger from her husband's mouth and glanced at Man-at-Arms who practically flew to the table. She knew he was deathly afraid of what was about to come out of her mouth. Their eyes met, but she quickly turned away and looked back at her husband.

She sighed and stated firmly, "The truth is everything that has happened regarding Adam as of late is my fault."

Randor's brow narrowed. He opened his mouth to speak, but Marlena quickly put a hand up. "Just listen, Randor."

He closed his mouth and took her hands in his to show his compliance. She breathed in deeply once more and explained, "For quite some time now, I've noticed the change in your relationship with Adam…No, let me rephrase that. I have noticed it for several years, ever since Adam came of age to inherit the kingdom."

Marlena paused for some kind of reaction. Randor twitched but remained quiet.

"I must admit it upset me greatly. It saddened me more than anything else because I knew it was upsetting Adam."

Now, Randor couldn't keep quiet. "Our relationship hasn't…"

Marlena glared at him. "Are you actually going to tell me things haven't changed over the years?" she almost yelled.

Randor shook his head a little as if trying to somehow shuffle Marlena's words into some kind of coherent thought. "Well, of course things have changed," he said, softly. "Adam's grown up, and with his growing up, attitudes and actions changed on both our parts.”

Marlena frowned and said, "You act like our son is forty-years-old! He's still a boy. My God! On Earth, he wouldn't even be able to drink alcohol, yet. He'd be in college getting into all kinds of mischief."

Randor looked confused and glanced over at Man-at-Arms who was merely staring at Marlena. He looked back and as soon as his eyes met his wife's, she said, "Attitudes and actions are supposed to change as children get older, but it shouldn't happen over night and not so drastically."

"What the devil are you talking about?" Randor's face flushed hotly. He was starting to get angry because he felt like his wife was attacking him, but he had no idea why.

Marlena stood up and fanned her arms out. "You never spend time with him anymore!"

Randor stood up and replied, "That's not true. I see him everyday."

Marlena turned around and started pacing back and forth. "I hardly call the times you see him as spending time with him. Seeing him in court does not count because you're busy making laws, passing judgments, and everything else a king does. You can hardly count dinner, because the room is filled with people to fight for your attention, much less Orko's magic. Tell me, besides those times, when do you see him? Oh, and besides the times when you seek him out to berate him because he's having too much fun, being late, or you need to lecture him on the importance some Eternian holiday that is coming up."

Randor froze as Marlena stopped pacing and looked at him expectantly. He noticed from the corner of his eye that Man-at-Arms was watching him, as well. He opened his mouth to reply but quickly realized he had nothing to say. He couldn't think of a single thing to defend himself. Instead, he said the only thing he could:

"I love that boy." He said it with a defeated tone. He took the crown off his head and set it on the dinner table. He looked back at his wife and asked, "Surely, you know that?"

Marlena nodded. "Of course, I know that, Randor, but you never show it to him. The last time you showed him any kind of affection was when he brought Adora home from Etheria. I thought then things would change since you noticed what a truly remarkable boy he really is. He did something no one else had been able to do for years:  he found our daughter and brought her home safe and sound. But it didn't last, not even for a day. You told him you were proud and hugged him. By the next day, with the leaving of Adora, things went back to normal. You went back to ignoring him, and he went back to avoiding you."

Randor flinched as he heard these last words. "He doesn't avoid me," he said sharply.

Marlena shook her head and turned away. "I think he does. Lord knows I would. If I'm going to constantly be berated and lectured, I'd try to stay as far away as much as possible."

Randor sat down in a chair at the dinner table and faced his wife. "Why do you tell me these things?" he questioned. "I haven't heard anything of the sort from Adam. And, what does this have to do with the events over the last few days?"

"It has everything to do with it," said Marlena sharply. "Adam would never point these things out to you either from fear of rejection or simply respect. As a child does, he simply accepts your attitude and actions towards him. That's why I…did my best to make sure you took an interest in him again."

"I do have an interest in him," interrupted Randor sharply. "I always have. He's my son and I love him." Then, he paused. "What do you mean you did your best to make me take an interest in him?"

Marlena flew to Randor, squatted to the floor in front of him, and took his hands which were in his lap. "That's why everything is my fault. I knew from the very beginning that Adam was never doing anything we would disapprove of when I pointed out his absences from the palace. I just wanted you to notice him, spend time with him, and ask questions. I thought if I got you to notice him more, you would stop being a king to him and act like his father again. All I managed to do was drive you further apart. I know our accusations, especially your last one, hurt him deeply. I came clean to Adam about what I have done. He took it hard. He couldn't believe I would stir up so much trouble, but that was never my intention, Randor. I love you both so much, and it hurt me that the two people I love the most weren't getting along as they should. I had to do something…and now we both may have lost him."

Randor immediately pushed forward so he could be on the floor with Marlena. He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her.

Man-at-Arms could see Randor's face. He could see the wheels turning—he knew Randor was thinking about everything Marlena had said. The king was now very worried about Adam but for totally new reasons.

Randor slowly pulled back from the embrace after several moments and said, "I need to talk to him.” He stood up and pulled Marlena to her feet. "No, we need to talk to him. We need to set things straight and talk everything out. Like I said before when this all started, I refuse to lose him. I will apologize, if I must, and beg a thousand pardons. If Adam feels as you say, he won't for much longer, Marlena, I promise you that."

=)=)=)

Adam stood before the dimensional gate that led to Etheria.

"Here you are," a voice said behind him.

Adam turned to face the Sorceress.

"I knew you were coming, and quite frankly, I’m surprised you came here first, instead of the throne room."

Adam swallowed quickly and replied, "Honestly, Sorceress, I have nothing to say. I just came so I could get to Etheria and talk with my sister. Things have happened…" he cut himself off. He met her eyes and then whispered, "…I just need to get away for a little while and talk to Adora."

The Sorceress stepped forward and placed a hand on Adam's shoulder. "I know, but there's so much you don't know and need to before you go, if you even decide to at all."

Adam nodded for her to continue. The Sorceress stepped beside him and pushed a little on his shoulder to get him to walk with her away from the gate.

"As we speak," said the Sorceress, "your parents are frantically searching the palace."

She led him into the throne room and waved her arms in front of her mirror.

Adam watched as Randor swung the door open to his bedchambers.

" _Adam!" Randor called out._

_He turned around to face Marlena who had run up behind him. "He's not here, Marlena. Where would he be at such an early hour?"_

_As tears slipped down her cheeks, she suggested, "Maybe he's outside."_

_The king and queen walked as quickly as they could outside to the courtyard. There was still no sign of Adam, but they did find Teela sitting with Cringer on a nearby bench. Marlena quickly walked up to the two and asked, "Where's Adam? Have you seen him? We need to talk to him."_

_Teela looked up and answered, "You just missed him. He left about ten minutes ago heading to Castle Grayskull."_

_Marlena drew a sharp breath as Randor asked, "Why would he go there?"_

_Teela looked at her king and replied, "He said he wanted to go to Etheria to visit Adora."_

_The king quickly faced his wife and said, "He's running from us! By the Ancients, we need to get to the castle and stop him before he goes! I have so much to say to him!"_

The Sorceress waved her arm and the image faded.

Adam's eyes grew wide as he looked down the corridor towards the drawbridge. "Did those things just happen, or is it what happened earlier and they're almost here?"

"They just happened," the Sorceress said, sadly, knowing instinctively instead of telepathically why Adam asked.

Adam visibly relaxed and said, "Good, I have plenty of time to get back to the dimensional gate and…"

"Don't you want to wait to hear what your parents have to say?" questioned the Sorceress.

Adam shook his head and answered, "Honestly, no. To tell you the truth, Sorceress, I have heard quite enough from the both of them this morning. I don't think I could stand to hear anymore."

"It's not what you think."

"Then, tell me," he said.

"I think you should hear it from…"

"No!" Adam cut her off. "I don't ask much from you." He paused, feeling like a heel playing this card but he had to. "All I want is for you to tell me what they want to talk to me about."

The Sorceress sighed but relented. "Queen Marlena told King Randor what she did and why."

Adam's eyes widened. "She told him everything?"

"Everything besides the fact that you're He-Man."

Adam's brow wrinkled as he replied, "I told her not to tell him anything. The king doesn't care about me."

"Adam, you know that's not true," the Sorceress said sharply.

"Maybe so," he agreed angrily, "but I don't want him to start treating me any differently because Mother pointed out how he was treating me! He never took the time to get to know me. All he ever noticed was my cowardliness and laziness. Just because Mother told him she was the one who set this whole thing into motion does not change the fact that he chose to know so little about me and showed it by accusing me of…do you know what he accused me of?"

The Sorceress nodded.

"Then you should understand how I feel."

"I do understand, Adam," said the Sorceress. She placed her hand on his shoulder again and squeezed. "But sometimes, a man needs to have his mistakes pointed out to him, especially with a king and man as stubborn as your father. He didn't know how he was treating you. He loves you."

Adam nodded and said, "I know he loves me because I'm his son, but that's the only reason. I know that he cares about me because I influence people's opinions of him with my being his son. The only time he shows me any type of affection is when I do something truly grand for him that is something worth bragging about."

"Like bringing Adora home?" the Sorceress asked, reading his mind.

"Precisely!" exclaimed Adam. "He was so happy and proud, but that didn't make us any closer. He didn't treat me any differently. He didn't even stop to question me on how I got Adora away from the Horde. As far as he knows, He-Man had nothing to do with it. He never bothered to ask because he didn't care. All that mattered was that he got Adora back and that he finally had a little something to brag about."

"If he wanted to brag, he would have wanted to hear the story," the Sorceress started.

Adam cut her off, "But hearing the story would require him to talk and spend time with me. We both know that wouldn't happen."

The Sorceress scolded, "Adam, you're angry and being unreasonable right now. If you just calmed down and took the time to think…"

"Which is precisely why I want to go to Etheria to see my sister!" he yelled.

As soon as the words left his mouth and Adam heard his harsh tone, he closed his eyes.

When he reopened them, the Sorceress was glaring at him. "Right now, you are very much reminding me of your father," she said sharply.

Adam sucked in a breath and opened his mouth to speak when he heard a voice outside. It was his father's.

"ADAM! ARE YOU IN THERE? PLEASE, DON'T GO!"

The Sorceress stared at Adam and said, "Well, I told you what I feel you should do, but it's your decision. Are you going to Etheria now, or will you listen to your parents?"

Adam turned to go back to the dimensional gate but then stopped. His shoulders slumped as he said, "Let them in."


	16. A Final Plea

Noticing Adam Chapter 16

Adam was tense. That was the only way to describe it. As soon as the Sorceress walked away to allow his parents inside, he subconsciously clinched his teeth together, tightened his jaw, balled his fists, and closed his eyes. It was almost as if he were fighting to hold himself still, fighting to stop himself from running through the dimensional gate that led to his sister and temporary freedom from the everyday hassles on Eternia.

Of course, the physical restraint Adam was subjecting himself to wasn't helping matters whatsoever. He was becoming more and more anxious as the steps he heard in the distance came closer and closer.

Finally, he took a deep breath, forced open his eyes, and tried to relax his hands. It wouldn't do any good to openly show his uneasiness to his parents, he reasoned. They would turn it into a reason for him not to visit his sister.

"Who am I fooling?" he asked himself. "They don't want me to go, anyway."

He looked at the gate that would reunite him with his sister and thought back to the image the Sorceress had shown him of his parents. They seemed desperate to stop him from going to Etheria…but why? He had told his mother why he wanted to go. He had to get away for a while and talk to someone who understood his situation. He said he would come back. Why was everyone, the Sorceress included, acting like it was the worst decision he could possibly make? It didn't make any sense, unless…

Adam's eyes became enlarged as he thought about a possible reason. "Father doesn't want her to know," he stated aloud. "He doesn't want his precious daughter to know how…cruel and unfair he can be to his own offspring."

He once again clenched his teeth and went straight to the gate, but before he could reach it, he heard a soft voice say, "Surely, you don't believe that, son."

Adam whirled around to see his father standing in the room, already half way to him. How long had he been standing there? He looked behind the king and saw his mother, Duncan, Teela, and Cringer standing in the doorway. He swallowed roughly and replied, "I don't know what I believe anymore."

Randor had never before seen such hurt and confusion on his son's face. He closed the distance left between them and placed his right hand firmly on his shoulder. "Believe that I love you and I never wanted to hurt you, make you feel unimportant, or drive you away from Eternos."

Adam sighed and looked away from his father. "You're not driving me away from Eternos," he answered. "I'm just going to visit my sister." He finally met Randor's eyes and asked, "Is that so wrong?"

"You're running from me," answered his father in reply. He then frowned, closed his eyes, and took a deep calming breath so he wouldn't break down in front of so many people. He looked back at Adam and admitted, "I know I've made some mistakes, probably more than I'll ever be able to make up to you, but I want you to know that I'm sorry and I don't want you to go."

Adam pulled out of his father's reach and turned his back toward him. He flung his hands in the air, expressing his uneasiness. He then turned back to his father and said softly, "I need this, Father. I need to go."

Randor straightened his posture in response to the look Adam gave him as he said this. It was a look of desperation. "Son," he started, but Adam held up his hand and continued speaking.

"I've heard you say you're sorry, and there isn't really anything else left to discuss. I need to see Adora. I need to talk to her. She's the only one who can understand…"

"Help me understand!" blurted Randor, cutting his son off. He walked up to the prince and said, "You're wrong, Adam. There are so many things left to discuss. I realize now that I've been a horrible father…"

Adam's expression became one of horror. He had wanted to contradict the king when he uttered those words, but it quickly left his mind with the words that followed:

"…But I want to make it up to you. I don't want you leaving this planet, feeling like I don't love or care for you, because I do, son. I know I've been hard on you over the years, but it's only because I don't want you to go through what I did when my father was missing. I want you to be prepared to take over if anything happens to me."

"So, it's my fault!" Adam snapped and started pacing around the room.

Randor immediately became silent as Adam's face turned unbelievably red. He watched and listened to his son talk, but he wasn't really sure who he was talking to.

"No matter what happens, it's always my fault! It's my fault my father acts this way, because I'm not responsible enough to be a prince or the future king of Eternia! It's my fault he treats me as though I were not his son, because I'm an embarrassment and a disgrace to the royal family! Do you think I want things to be like this? You must think I enjoy being mocked and laughed at! I want nothing more than for my family and friends to know the real me and respect me, but that's not possible at this point in time! But, I don't want them to change their tune if they knew I'm…"

"ADAM!" Randor yelled to hush his son's outburst. He ran to him and tried to hug him, but Adam sidestepped him.

Adam focused his stare on his father and said, "I don't know why the Sorceress wanted me to hear what you had to say. It's still the same mess I've been hearing since I turned eighteen."

"Adam," Randor said again and took a step towards him.

Adam shook his head and spoke sharply, "I don't want to hear what you have to say, anymore. I know you're trying to smooth things over so we can go back to showing the people that we're the perfect and happy Royal Family, but I cannot act that part right now, Father. I know you love me because I'm your son, but I can't pretend that you give a damn about me in any other regards right now, so I need to go."

He took a step towards the portal, and Randor said, "I do care about you, Adam. Don't run. What can I do to make you believe me?"

"I don't know. Just give me some time," he answered, and without giving his father a chance to respond, he finished the last couple of steps into the dimensional gate and disappeared. The gate’s door closed as Randor dropped to his knees in tears.

Marlena rushed to her husband, fell to her knees in front of him, and hugged him as tightly as she could.

=)=)=)

The Sorceress sat in the throne room and opened her eyes as she watched Adam step through the dimensional gate. She left King Randor and Queen Marlena unwatched and called out to Adam's sister.

"Adora, Adora."

On Etheria, Adora was standing beside Spirit as he reached down to the river for some water. She stoked the horse's mane and froze as she heard the Sorceress' call. She immediately pulled the sword from her back and it floated into the air.

"Sorceress," exclaimed Adora, "is something wrong?"

Even though the sword only gave Adora a small glimpse of the Sorceress' face, she could see the worry written all over it. She didn't know exactly what was going on, but she suddenly felt as though she knew part of the story. She closed her eyes to concentrate on that feeling and then opened her eyes as she asked, "It's Adam, isn't it?"

The Sorceress merely replied, "Take care of him, Adora. He's coming."

The sword dropped and its blade slid into the ground. Adora grabbed it by the handle and lifted it up as she did the night when she found out He-Man was her brother. The thought of something being wrong with Adam tore her up inside. She suddenly couldn't wait to get to their meeting place outside of the Whispering Woods. She climbed onto Spirit, and before they took off, she whispered, "Don't worry, Adam. I'm coming."


	17. Back to Etheria

Noticing Adam Chapter 17

She was so sure they would stop him.

Sure, Adam was constantly late for meals, skipped his combat lessons, and occasionally slept through important diplomatic meetings, but she would have never imagined he would openly go against his father's wishes.

She watched as Marlena hugged Randor and whispered into his ears, trying to comfort him while tears were pouring down her own cheeks.

Teela felt like crying herself. She thought she knew Adam so well, but the last couple of days showed her she did not know the Prince of Eternia as well as she thought she did. She looked at her father and Cringer and then back down to Adam's parents. It seemed like no one really knew him as well as they thought they did. Adam had even said as much.

Adam's last words before walking through the portal to Etheria revealed so much to her:  he said he couldn't act his part right now. Earlier, he had stated that he would give anything for everyone to know the "real" Adam. She knew King Randor and Queen Marlena were upset about Adam's departure because they thought he was running from them, running from the pain. Teela, however, had come to different conclusions. "Right now, he's too emotional," she whispered aloud so her father could hear her but not the King and Queen. "He's acting and speaking before he thinks because he's so upset. He knew he had to get away and get himself under control, so he can once again put on his mask and hide from us."

=)=)=)

Duncan's jaw dropped as Adam ran through the portal. There was nothing he could do. He had thought the Royal Family could handle the situation on their own, but clearly, he had been mistaken. Of course, it wasn't for the lack of trying. He knew King Randor had given his best effort to make his son understand. He had been Randor's friend for a very long time:  he was a proud and stubborn man, and it's hard for a man like that to admit he made a mistake and done something wrong. Randor admitted he had made mistakes where Adam was concerned, and he even said he had been a terrible father. At that moment, Duncan had seen the pain in both their eyes. For that split second, he thought Adam was going to stop his father and begin the healing process…

Adam surprised him. His outburst was so unexpected…but he should have seen it coming, though. For weeks, Adam had been under insurmountable pressure. Skeletor and his followers were wearing He-Man thin both day and night. Adam rarely had a downtime to simply relax and actually get some sleep. Sure, he was able to get a little sleep after the orb incident at Castle Grayskull, but it didn't help much because he was out again in less than a twenty-four hour period protecting the Widgets…and him.

Man-at-Arms shook his head, because he didn't want to think about these events or the ones that followed. Nevertheless, flashes of a sleeping and exhausted He-Man at Castle Grayskull slipped into his thoughts even though he tried desperately to forget it. Then, he saw Evil Lyn and Skeletor shooting He-Man with numerous energy bolts at the WidgetCave, but the images didn't end there. He remembered Adam almost passing out at Randor's feet the next morning and actually throwing up in the hall. He then saw Adam's back covered in bruises as he stepped out of the shower that morning.

These were only a few incidents of many that Adam had endured recently. With all the physicality he had undergone and the emotional upheaval his parents were also putting him through, it was no wonder he was acting irrationally. Adam was having a breakdown, and Duncan chastised himself because he knew he should have seen it coming. Of course, if he were honest, he did see it coming, but he never thought it would get this bad.

Duncan watched Marlena and Randor cry together for their son. It was breaking his heart because he felt somewhat responsible. He should have found a way to alleviate some of the pressure off of Adam. He should have tried to get Teela off his back more often. He should have suggested to the king to have his guards take a more active role in protecting Grayskull and the villages instead of relying so heavily upon He-Man…DAMMIT, he should have found a better excuse for Adam when he returned to palace with him in his delirious and exhausted state. If he had done that, all of this might not have happened. He was just used to Adam handling his own excuses. Once again, another example of him taking Adam for granted.

Duncan shook his head and almost took a step towards his king and queen to try to offer them some kind of solace when he heard his daughter speak.

"Right now, he's too emotional. He's acting and speaking before he thinks because he's so upset. He knew he had to get away and get himself under control, so he can once again put on his mask and hide from us."

Going to the King and Queen were now far from his thoughts. He looked at Teela's face, and she slowly turned to look at him in his eyes.

"Father, all this time, I thought Adam was happy. I thought he was the most carefree and childlike person I'd ever met, but it's been a huge façade. The pain that Adam feels has obviously been building for so long that it's finally exploded. He said he couldn't pretend anymore. He said he couldn't play his part right now."

Duncan's eyes widened as tears slipped down Teela's cheeks.

"Father, I think I may have misjudged him. I think we all might have. When we were younger, Adam was so lively and involved. He changed…but why? I thought it was because he grew lazy…but now it seems like he wanted us to think that. It's like—I don't know—he wanted us to think he was happy even though he wasn't. He wanted us to think he was content with his life. But…my mind keeps going back to why! Why isn't Adam happy, Father? And, why is he hiding from us?" Teela bit her lip softly as even more tears fell. "Father, why is he hiding from _me_?"

=)=)=)

Something was definitely wrong. Adora saw her brother long before he saw her. She knew he had long since stepped out of the dimensional gate because it took her several minutes to reach Adam, and she was surprised at where and how she found him:  he was sitting on a log on the edge of the Whispering Woods with his back towards her. As she stepped closer, she noticed the constant upheaval of his chest and his soft sobs. It immediately tore at her heart.

"Oh, Adam!" she cried and threw arms around her brother from behind.

Almost immediately, Adam stood up, wiped his care-worn eyes, turned around, and smiled at his twin. He didn't even hear her coming. "Adora," he whispered and then sighed in relief. He stepped over the log and hugged her tightly. He thought about picking her up in a huge bear hug but thought better of it when the familiar burn reminded him of his recent maladies as he tried.

After what seemed like several minutes, Adora pulled back and used her hand to push some of Adam's stray hairs away from his face. She peered into his eyes and just when she was about to question him on why he had come or what was wrong, Adam pulled away and faced the Whispering Woods.

"I hope you don't mind my surprise visit, Adora," he said quickly. He cringed as he heard his own voice; he hoped it sounded cheerful instead of so forced to her.

Adora rubbed Adam's back with one of her hands as she came to stand beside him. "Of course, I don't mind," she answered. "The only thing I do mind is that there is obviously something dreadfully wrong and you don't want to tell me about it."

Adam immediately closed his eyes briefly and smiled despite himself. When he reopened his eyes, he glanced at his twin sister. "I should have known I couldn't hide anything from you," he whispered. "I'm not even sure why I wanted to. For days, I've wanted to come here to talk to you…"

"Then, talk," said Adora abruptly. She walked over to Spirit, climbed on top of him, and offered him her hand. "Only, let's do it at camp where it's safe. There's no telling when or where the Horde will show up."

Adam nodded and also climbed onto Spirit.

=)=)=)

As Adora and Adam rode through the Whispering Woods, Adam asked how the Great Rebellion was doing and how their fight against the Horde was going. Adora convinced him everything was going well, despite the fact that Hordak still had a firm control over the planet.

When they reached the camp, Adam noticed that The Great Rebellion looked larger than it was the last time he had visited. There were more tents, and numerous people were walking around happily, enjoying their rustic livings, while sharpening their swords and axes or making arrows. Adam couldn't help but smile at how almost everyone greeted Adora by saying hello or smiling.

"Aren't you the popular one?" he whispered in her ear before he heard a familiar voice.

"ADAM!"

Immediately, Adam looked off to his left and saw a flash of purple and pink running towards them. He climbed off the horse and turned around to face the greeter. He was  surprised to find himself in none other than Glimmer's arms.

She gave him a tight squeeze and then quickly pulled away. She seemed a little embarrassed. "I'm sorry, Adam," she said dreamily. "It's just that you haven't visited in a while, and well…I…we missed you."

Adam looked back at his sister who climbed off of Spirit and gave him a smirk. "And, what were you saying about _me_ being popular?"

Adam could feel his skin turn a deep shade of red. He had always suspected Glimmer had a crush on him. He began to wonder when he had first met her and she seemed so happy to see that he had accompanied Bow into her tent. He remembered her "oh" as she turned and saw him for the first time. He smiled then, and he couldn't help but smile now. Glimmer was no Teela, but he had to admit he was always flattered by the small and favorable attention she gave him during every visit. It was quite refreshing to all the verbal lashings and insults he received from the former.

Adam gently pulled Glimmer's hand up to his lips and kissed it, uncharacteristically. Glimmer's eyes widened and her lips formed an "o." As he released her hand, he smiled and said, "Yes, I do realize I should visit more often. I've missed a lot of people here, as well."

As Glimmer smiled at Adam again, Adora slipped her arm through her brother's and looked at him curiously before facing Glimmer. "Adam and I are going to my tent. We have to discuss some family matters privately."

Glimmer nodded and replied, "Of course, Adora. I'll see you both later."

Adam waved good-bye as Adora practically tried to rip his arm off by pulling him in the opposite direction. As they entered an off-white tent in the center of camp, Adora quickly turned and faced her brother.

"Okay, brother dear," she said slowly, "what was that?"

Adam stopped walking and asked, "What was what?"

She shook her head and stated, "Flirting with Glimmer like that. You're lucky she isn't dragging you to Queen Angella, asking her to make a formal engagement announcement."

"Oh, that," he answered, shrugging. "I don't know." He sat down in a nearby chair and said, "I guess I liked the positive attention for once." As he said this, he didn't meet Adora's eyes. Instead, he looked around the tent as if intent on etching every surface of it into memory.

Adora heard something in her brother's voice that she didn't instantly recognize. He sounded gloomy, longing, and angry all at once. She never heard him sound like that before. She kneeled in front of him and placed a hand on his knee.

"Adam," she said softly, "what's wrong? I'm glad you decided to visit. You know I cherish every time my big brother comes, but I know something isn't right. I could sense your melancholy as soon as I saw you, and nothing you have done has shown me you feel otherwise. What's going on?"

Adam stared at Adora for several seconds before he sighed and then brought both his hands up to rub his eyes and face. The actions made him seem more exhausted and vulnerable than he was before. He met Adora's eyes once more, and she saw the pain in them before he uttered a word.

"What if I told you…" he paused looking for the right words, "that I can't do this anymore?"

Adora gripped her brother's hand and whispered fearfully, "Can't do what anymore?"

Adam looked down as tears rushed to his eyes. He didn't want her to see them. "I can't live like this anymore, Adora. Every day it just gets harder and harder. This duel life that I've been living is costing Prince Adam more and more everyday. I don't know how you do it, sis. I've lost Father's respect, as well as the people's. Mother has been scheming behind my back, hoping I'd crack and tell everyone my secret. There's no hope in Teela ever seeing me as anything but the lazy and childish Prince of Eternia, and I want her to see so much more, sis. And, of course, Skeletor is running me ragged…"

Adora brushed her index finger under Adam's chin and applied a little pressure to make his eyes meet hers. "Why do I have the feeling your pain is worse than it sounds?"

Adam smiled and sobbed instantaneously. "It is," he whispered. "I knew you'd understand."

Adora frowned and whispered back, "But I don't understand, Adam. Mother and Father love you. I also know Father respects you. The way he looked at you when you brought me home proved that…and Mother wouldn't betray you. You have to be reading the situations wrong."

Adam looked at Adora as if he had been slapped. He stood up abruptly and backed away from her.

"Adam," Adora said fearfully, also getting to her feet.

"I was so sure," he whispered, just loud enough for her to hear him.

"Adam," she repeated, walking to him. "Help me understand. Tell me what happened. We can work this out and come to understand it together."

Adam turned his back on Adora and squeezed his eyes shut. As he did this, he felt his exhaustion creeping up on him again. He had been trying not to acknowledge it for days, but it just wasn't relenting. He reopened his eyes to try to keep himself from falling asleep standing up and discovered the room was spinning. Heat seemed to overwhelm his body, and he remembered what happened the last time he felt like this. Before he could get back to the chair he had left earlier, Adam fell to the ground and pumped his head hard.

Even though he saw black, he heard Adora call his name and felt her rush to his side.

=)=)=)

The ride back to the palace was spent in silence except for the one occasion where King Randor considered going after Adam and bringing him home from Etheria. Man-at-Arms talked him out of this, stating Adam would come home when he was ready.

Teela bit her lip and thought about her part in Adam's decision to leave. Even though she knew her suspicions were correct, that Adam was hiding from them and using his trip to Etheria as time for him to calm down and heal from the emotional wounds that were now bleeding to the surface, she also knew he was running from his parents and her. They hadn't really given him a choice either. She thought about how she treated him for the last few years. She was constantly in his face about _everything_. She never took the time to simply spend time with him or tell him how much he meant to her. She attacked him and accused him of things she truly knew deep inside that he wasn't capable of. She knew his parents were guilty of the same thing. Adam had been scaring them recently, but their treatment of him was going on for far longer.

"Why have I never noticed all of this before?" she questioned herself.

As the AttakTrak came to a stop and all its other occupants vacated the vehicle silently, Teela sat there and thought about everything that had occurred since her father had brought the nearly unconscious prince back from Castle Grayskull.

As a few tears slipped down her cheeks, Teela heard what sounded like a loud explosion. She immediately jumped out of the AttakTrak in time to see Beastman flying in the air on the back of a Shreaker. She followed Beastman's progress back to an area where a tower should stand. Suddenly, she gasped as she noticed the rubble and stones on the ground. Fear for the King, Queen, and her father suddenly washed over her as a large orange monster she had never seen before climbed over the debris and blocked her from the entrance leading to the throneroom.

Teela grabbed her staff from the AttakTrak. She knew it wouldn't faze the monster before her, but it was better than nothing.

"I hope He-Man will be here, soon," thought Teela to herself as Skeletor's cheerful laugh filled her ears.


	18. Another Battle on Eternia

Noticing Adam Chapter 18

The first thing he noticed was a lot of frantic voices. At first he could not discern one from another, but after a few failed attempts to open his eyes, he recognized his sister's voice, or rather She-Ra's:

"I don't know what happened! He was fine! We were talking, he jumped up, and then he passed out! I had to turn to lift him."

"Did you try to heal him?"

"Of course. His head wound healed and that awful bruise he had on his back is gone, but he still hasn't woken up…Wait, he looks like he might be trying to wake up now. Adam?"

Adam struggled to open his eyes and after the fourth try, they finally opened. He blinked several times to adjust to the light shining on She-Ra's headpiece. "Adora," he stated, sitting up and immediately bringing his right hand to his forehead. Despite the fact that She-Ra obviously healed him, his head was pounding. "What happened?"

"You tell me!" exclaimed She-Ra. "One second we were talking and then you were out! And, what was with all those injuries you had any way?"

Adam shook his head and remembered their discussion before he passed out. Adora had been on the verge of taking their parents' side. He narrowed his eyes and replied, "I'm just tired. I jumped up too quickly after I realized you were going to be just like everyone else."

She-Ra's brow furrowed in question. She could clearly see the beginnings of a little hostility from her brother floating her way, and it astounded her. After she had realized he was her brother some time ago, they never fought…ever. And, even when she was a member of the Horde, he never looked at her like he did now. "What do you mean I was going to be like everyone else?" she asked. She had a feeling this would give her the reason why.

Adam shook his head and whispered, "I came here to talk to someone who would listen to me, who wouldn't immediately try to stick up for Mom and Dad, but that's immediately what you did."

She-Ra shook her head and said, "So, you're going to be angry because I didn't react the way you wanted me to?"

Adam shrugged. "I just thought as my twin you would understand."

"You haven't told me anything to give me the opportunity to understand it, yet," she reasoned.

Adam looked up and nodded. "You're right," he said with a forced smile. "I suppose I should tell you the whole story."

"Well, as much as I do want to hear the whole story, brother dear, we can't right now. Mother and Father need us!"

Immediately, Adam got up and asked, "What are you talking about?"

She pointed to her sword which was flying and glowing in the center of the room.

He went to stand in front of the sword and noticed the Sorceress looked relieved. "Adam, your vacation will have to be postponed a little while longer. Skeletor is attacking Eternos. They were unprepared and Skeletor has called upon a monster from another galaxy to help him. It's destroying the palace."

"Can you make a portal that will send us straight to the palace?" asked Adam, hurriedly, as he pulled the Power Sword from his back.

"Of course," she replied, but she suddenly gave him a questioning look. "Are you sure you can handle this? Perhaps Adora…"

Adam gave She-Ra a brief glance before he tightened his jaw. "Eternia is **my** responsibility, not Adora's. If she wants to come to help, that's great, but I'm not going to step aside and let her do my job."

"If you're sure," stated the Sorceress.

"I'm sure."

A portal appeared to their left. Immediately, Adam lifted the Power Sword and yelled, "By the power of Grayskull…"

* * *

Teela and her father stood in front of the AttakTrak. They were the only ones who stood between this monster and the king and queen. Duncan lifted his arm and shot a warning blast at the beast, but it merely watched them as if daring them to make another move.

Teela raised her staff in an angle to prepare for an attack and immediately the monster screamed in response. The scream was earth-shattering in its severity. The ground shook and portions of the palace walls started crumbling. The only thing that made the sound stop was the sudden appearance of a portal to their right. The monster watched it, as did Teela and Man-at-Arms.

Suddenly, He-Man and She-Ra jumped through and turned their attention immediately to the monster in front of them.

"Praise the Ancients," Teela whispered to herself. Until their arrival, she had seriously believed they were going to lose the battle.

* * *

It surprised He-Man that he wasn't surprised about the monster before him. As he stepped into the dimensional gate in Etheria, his mind was racing with thoughts of annoyance. "Of course, Skeletor would pick now to attack. What else can he pile onto the mountain of…"

His thoughts had paused when he took the monster in. "Of course," he thought with a shake of his head. A grin that seemingly came from nowhere adorned his face. This particular monster had to stand at least forty feet tall; it was orange and had the body of a dragon and a face of a bear. It figured now would be the time Skeletor would pull this nasty beast out of his hat of tricks.

"I fail to see what's so amusing, brother," whispered She-Ra as she looked to He-Man for some kind of sign as to how they were going to tackle this monster.

"Oh, I'm not amused," he answered. "I don't know how to explain it. I'm just not surprised anymore on how bad things can get like I used to." He looked around the surroundings and saw the damage the monster had already brought to his home. A tower belonging to the guard was already missing. How many were in there and killed as it came down?

He frowned as his nostrils flared with something akin to hatred. He stepped forward and She-Ra immediately grabbed his arm.

"What are you doing?" she quickly asked.

He knew she was afraid that he was planning on attacking the beast straight-on, and the truth was that was his plan. "I'm sick of this," he answered angrily. "I'm going to send Skeletor a message."

"You're not in any condition," she cried. "Yes, I healed your immediate injuries, but Adam, I didn't get them all. There were so many that I decided to save some of my energy and heal them over time."

"I know," he replied, still feeling the headache he had when he woke up from his latest bout with unconsciousness. He was tempted, oh so tempted, to walk out there and take his frustrations out on the beast, but he knew She-Ra was right. He might not be able to succeed in a front attack. Immediately, he looked around and saw the willow tree behind the monster.

"Why don't you cause a distraction while I jump onto the monster's back? At least that way, maybe I can guide him away from the palace and we can avoid anyone else getting hurt," he suggested.

"Sounds good. Where do you think Mother and Father are?"

He-Man looked around and saw Teela and Man-at-Arms in front of an AttakTrak thirty feet from them. He pointed and said, "Over there. Teela and Duncan are protecting them."

She-Ra nodded and took off running to the right. As suspected, the monster followed her with its eyes and turned to face She-Ra. That was precisely what He-Man wanted it to do.

Instantly, He-Man ran to the tree, climbed up it, and jumped on the lower back of the monster. The beast immediately cried out in alarm and tried to turn around to slap at whatever was touching him. When it realized something was on him with a firm grasp, it screamed again, shaking the ground and enlarging the cracks it had made earlier in the palace walls.

He-Man immediately started climbing the monster and stopped once he had reached its neck. He sat on it and immediately turned its head in the direction he wanted it to go.

The monster was so frightened it immediately began to run in that direction, trying to get away. Part one of his plan was succeeding.

* * *

Skeletor watched from several yards away the actions of He-Man and She-Ra. He grimaced and questioned Evil-Lyn as to why the Female He-Man was there, but he hadn't really expected an answer. Every time he thought he would best one of them, the other showed up. But that might be for the best. Now, he could take care of them both at the same time!

"Beastman," said Skeletor, telepathically.

"Yes, Skeletor?" replied Beastman.

"Control the beast. Order it to fight He-Man. Regardless of whether we win this battle, we need to ensure that we hurt him again."

"Yes, Skeletor."

As those words left Beastman's lips, he turned his attention to the beast. He had a plan to get He-Man off his pet and hurt him at the same time. Skeletor would be pleased.

* * *

He-Man led the beast off the palace grounds. "That was rather easy," he thought to himself.

No sooner than those words were thought, he saw Beastman above them watching the beast intently. "Uh, oh!"

Suddenly, the beast stopped running and started backing up.

In response, He-Man tightened his grip slightly and tried to turn its head to get the thing to run in another direction, but the creature kept backing up no matter what he did. Finally, the monster stopped at the palace wall and it suddenly dawned on He-Man what was about to happened, but it was too late:  the monster immediately slammed its back into the palace wall with He-Man barely holding on as he was pummeled.

He-Man grunted as he took the brunt of the hit. The monster quickly pulled away from the wall only to slam against it again. This time the monster took the time to scratch his back side to side to try to fling his hitchhiker off. He-Man knew he couldn't stand much more of this. He tightened his grip even more and before the creature could slam him into the wall one more time, he snatched both his arms slightly to the left side. Immediately, the monster flipped and landed on its back.

"Well, at least I didn't get slammed into the wall again," He-Man thought as he was slightly buried into the dirt under the monsters massive body.

"He-Man!" he heard She-Ra cry.

He used his arms to lift the monster's head so She-Ra could see him. "Over here, She-Ra!"

She-Ra ran to him and quickly grabbed her brother under his arms and pulled him out from under the monster's head before He-Man dropped it back onto himself.

"I was so worried," cried She-Ra as she hugged her brother to her and noticed the beast, as well as the rest of Skeletor's men, had disappeared.

He-Man smiled and turned to hug her back. "You should know better than that," he whispered.

At that moment, Teela and Man-at-Arms immediately ran to them.

"He-Man," said Teela, hurriedly. "Are you all right?"

He-Man looked at She-Ra as he nodded and said for both their benefits, "I'm okay."

At She-Ra's doubtful look, he added, "I promise."

Teela looked back and forth between He-Man and She-Ra before asking, "Why do I feel like we're intruding on something?"

Both He-Man and She-Ra snapped their attention to Teela. "You're not," replied He-Man. "I was just reassuring She-Ra I was okay before you came over."

Before Teela could say anything more, Man-at-Arms stepped forward and said, "I appreciate you coming to help us." He looked directly at He-Man and added, "I know it was tempting not to, given the circumstances."

"Given what circumstances?" asked Teela, glancing curiously at He-Man and then her father.

He-Man didn't answer her; he merely replied to Duncan, "I never even hesitated." He got up slowly, stifled a groan, grasped the older man's shoulder and gave a nod of reassurance.

"Does this mean you're going to stay?"

He-Man could see the hope in Duncan's eyes. It had been less than two hours ago when Adam had walked into the dimensional gate to get away from Eternia for a while, and the man before him, as well as his parents and Teela, thought he was running. Maybe he was, but that didn't mean it wasn't the right course of action.

"No, She-Ra and I are…needed elsewhere," he replied.

Duncan nodded sadly and said, "Don't stay too long. Obviously, Skeletor hasn't given up on causing problems or wearing you down, yet."

"I'll be back soon," he promised. "Besides, the Sorceress will contact me if you need me."

Before he could help himself, Duncan hugged He-Man. "Well, hurry back, son," he whispered in his ear.

When He-Man stepped back from Man-at-Arm's arms and saw the suspicious look Teela was giving him, he looked at She-Ra and called out, "Sorceress."

A gate appeared before them. Just as He-Man was about to walk through it, he paused. "Do you need me to stay to help clean up?" he asked. He realized it would be selfish for him to run off when so much needed doing around the palace now.

Man-at-Arms shook his head and said, "No, you need rest. Even if you did agree to stay, I wouldn't let you lift a finger."

"Duncan, I'm fine…" he tried to explain.

"No," Duncan replied firmly. "You're going back to Etheria for now, so there is no point in arguing about it right now."

He-Man immediately laughed. It felt like the first time in weeks. "I suppose you're right." He looked back at She-Ra and nodded. "Ready to go, sis?"

At her nod, he took her hand and led her through the gate without taking a look back.

* * *

As the gate closed, Teela looked at the spot where it had once been in astonishment. "Since when did you start talking to He-Man like that?" she questioned.

Startled, Duncan asked, "What?"

"You were talking to him like you do me or Adam."

"Was I? I didn't realize," replied Duncan. "Well, He-Man is the same age as you and Adam. I suppose it's habit."

Teela watched as her father turned and walked back towards the palace. Lost in thought, she started to follow him, contemplating what she just heard: Her father plainly said He-Man needed rest. He was almost outright chastising He-Man for offering to stay around and help. What did her father know that she didn't? She knew that He-Man blew up the orb that had hurt Adam, but for the most part, he had seemed okay, so what was he resting up from? Suddenly, a thought crossed her mind.

"Oh, by the Ancients!" cried Teela.

Duncan immediately turned around. "What is it, child?"

"Adam went to Etheria and now He-Man is there, as well." Teela paused, not sure what kind of point she was trying to make. She shrugged and continued, "We should have asked He-Man to look after Adam for us."

"I'm sure he will, regardless," replied Duncan. "Undoubtedly, they'll both be at the rebels' camp. They will see one another."

Teela shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Why is it that I always miss the opportunity to see He-Man and Adam together?" she questioned, slightly annoyed.

Man-at-Arms seemed to look at her as if he were surprised. "Why is that such a big deal?"

Teela shrugged and replied, "I don't know. I just find it strange that I'm so close to both of them and yet I've never been around both of them together."

"It's not so strange," insisted Duncan; "Adam and He-Man are both very busy men. They don't have the time to meet up."

Teela watched as her father started walking ahead of her again. She couldn't help but imagine what Adam and He-Man would be talking about on Etheria together. She wondered if she would come up. The thought made her shiver, because she had no idea what either one felt about her. Shoot, she didn't know how she felt about either one of them. Earlier, she said she would focus her attentions on He-Man, but that was when she thought Adam had been making a fool out of himself with his courtiers. Now that she knew that wasn't the case, she was back to wondering who she preferred, who made her more happy. She didn't understand why, but it always seemed like an impossible decision. Sometimes she thought she would never be able to decide.

* * *

The dimensional gate opened up into Adora's tent like it had earlier. When it closed, He-Man looked suspiciously at the area where it once stood.

She-Ra turned back to her brother and watched curiously as he thought about whatever was on his mind. "Care to share, brother?" she asked after several long moments.

Slightly startled, He-Man turned to look at her with an embarrassed smile. "It's nothing big. I was just wondering why the Sorceress always makes me walk to camp all the time if she can open up a gate right here in your tent. I thought magic couldn't penetrate the spell around the Whispering Woods."

She-Ra smiled and tapped her brother's shoulders as she stepped around him to peek outside the tent to make sure no one was coming. She raised her sword and turned back into Adora. Once she was through with this task and He-Man followed suit, she answered, "Something tells me there isn't much the Sorceress can't do if she really wants to. I just suspect some things take more effort and energy than others."

Adam nodded as he watched Adora fall back onto her bed and lie down. He repeated her actions on the other side of the bed and came to rest beside her. He moaned as his back shot a slight pain down his legs. It seemed as if the monster had reawakened some of his recent pains and his headache had not gone away yet.

Almost immediately, Adora turned towards her brother, not unaware of his pain, and propped her head up with her elbow. "So, can we finish what we were discussing earlier?" she asked. "What has happened to cause my brother such pain physically and emotionally?"

Adam groaned. "Do we have to?"

She shrugged, "Well, you were the one who wanted to come here to talk."

Adam turned toward her and propped his head up like she did. "Okay, but it's a long story. Don't interrupt until I'm finished." At Adora's nod, he began the story. "It started several days ago when Cringer and I decided to go into the EvergreenForest…"

* * *

King Randor stood amongst the rubble littering the palace grounds outside the throne room and shook his head miserably. "Everything that could possibly go wrong has today," he mumbled.

Marlena came to stand beside him and intertwined her fingers through his. "That's not true. Things could be a lot worse, and at least Adam wasn't here to get hurt."

At the mention of Adam's name, Randor flinched. He swallowed audibly and said, "I guess Skeletor simply wanted the palace to reflect what was going on here." He covered his heart with his free hand. "I never knew I could hurt as badly as I do now."

Marlena rested her head on her husband's shoulder and whispered through tears that were already beginning to fall again, "Adam will come back to us. He promised he would. He simply needed a break."

To Marlena, Skeletor's attack was a God's send. After all, she now knew Adam was with Adora and that Adam still wanted to protect Eternos. Those were all good things. It ensured her that he would return and that he still cared about his home…and his family. Of course, she couldn't offer Randor the comfort of that knowledge. He would want to know how she knew, and she doubted Adam, Duncan, or the Sorceress would like it if she simply told him. It seemed like telling Randor Adam’s secret would solve so much, but she knew there had to be a reason they kept it a secret. She just wished she knew what that reason was.


	19. An Explanation:  King Randor's Fears

Noticing Adam Chapter 19

King Randor stood amongst the rubble that was slowly being cleared away by numerous guards and volunteers from across Eternia. He knew he should show a little more gratitude to all the workers, but he found it difficult to greet them and show pleasantries considering everything that had happened that day.

"Sire," said Duncan, walking up to the king to get his attention, "perhaps it would be best if you went inside to rest. Everyone has been making comments about how distraught you seem."

"Why should I hide it?" he replied. "Duncan, I'm at a loss as of what to do right now. Both my son and daughter are on Etheria right now, and I have no way of knowing if I'll ever see either one of them again."

"Prince Adam said he would return, my king."

Randor turned and met his best friend's gaze. "Yes, but how do we know if he truly meant to keep that promise?"

"Adam has never lied..." began Duncan, shaking his head adamantly at the king's question.

"HE LIES ALL THE TIME!" cried Randor. He shook his head and whispered, "Don't you remember that is what started all of this! Regardless of the fact that Marlena thinks she is to blame for Adam's conduct, the truth of her involvement solves nothing. Adam is still hiding from us and worst yet, now he's running. And, even though no one has stated it directly, I know I'm possibly more to blame than Marlena. She's right, isn't she? I have been treating Adam as one of my subjects and not my son."

The king could tell by looking at Man-at-Arms that his chief advisor did not know what to say. He needed the truth, and at this point of time—knowing that the man probably knew more about Adam than he did right now—he hoped he would provide it.

* * *

Duncan knew the king was hurting, and like he had wanted to do for several days now, he wanted to offer some words of solace. He wanted to tell Randor that he knew everything would turn out all right, but the truth was he didn't. He knew Adam was acting a little irrationally right now, but he also knew it was thanks to the pressures the prince had endured protecting Grayskull, the Widgets, and the entire planet. The constant need for He-Man recently had become this unbearable mountain of pressure for the boy, and his mother and father had only added to it…

"And, he toppled," he muttered.

"What did you say?" asked Randor, who had been waiting intently to hear the Royal Inventor's reply.

Duncan cleared his throat and responded, "There might be some truth to the queen's statement, but it's not entirely accurate, either. Adam knows you love him. He knows you care about him and only want what's best for him, but right now, he's under so much pressure…"

"What pressure is this?" asked the king, sounding genuinely confused. He started pacing back and forth as he considered the possibility. "I know I make Adam attend the proceedings that take place in court, but aside from a few meeting here and there, I don't ask a lot from him. I know he's not too interested in state affairs right now, so I haven't required much from him in those regards."

"Did you ever think that might be one of the problems, Your Highness?" Duncan knew he had to be a little truthful or the king would continue to search for answers, and ones he could not reveal.

"What do you mean?"

"Sire, the prince takes more of an interest than you give him credit for. I remember when he wanted to be your special bodyguard for your diplomatic mission a while back. He had been talking about you choosing him for weeks, but instead of him, you chose He-Man. Adam was devastated at the time, and I know your comments about He-Man being the better choice during the actual trip had to upset him." Duncan shook his head. "Out of all the people in Eternos, I'm the one who is with Adam the most. I see what he does on a daily basis, things that no one gives him credit for or notices. Do you know he knows all the guards by name and has a firm knowledge of what's going on in their everyday lives? Just last week, Trooper Kendas' mother became terribly ill. He walked up to Adam after a combat lesson with Teela and thanked him for visiting her. I didn't know she was sick, and I didn't even know Adam had gone." He paused for several seconds. "I can't tell you how many more incidents like this have occurred throughout the years and a lot of them with your average citizens, as well. Have you ever wondered why your people love Adam so much? Do you think they blindly accept him because he's your son, or do you think perhaps they know and love the prince?"

Randor turned his back on his man-at-arms and sat on a nearby boulder. He looked up at the sky and answered, "I don't know. The truth is I never wondered too much." He paused and turned around on the large rock to face Duncan again. "I suppose I am guilty of treating my son unjustly. I just wish I knew the true source of all this anger he's displaying. Is it really me, or is it from something else that I'm unaware of?"

Duncan walked over to the boulder and said, "Do you want me to answer that honestly, sire?"

"You know I do."

Duncan looked up at the sky and answered, "Your questioning and accusations drove Adam to the breaking point, but he was well on his way to this point long before now." He sighed when he turned to look at the king. "I failed to recognize the signs until it was too late. I took Adam…and his natural tendency to love and find the good out of life and everyone for granted. I forgot that he is just like the rest of us, capable of making mistakes and feeling overwhelmed at what life throws at us on a regular basis."

Randor sighed when Duncan finished his speech. "So, we're both guilty of taking Adam for granted and ignoring his needs…But by the Ancients, Duncan, when I tried to take notice and become more involved in his life, he reacted with such hostility and told such blatant lies!" He closed his eyes because he undoubtedly heard his voice getting louder and louder with each passing word. He took a deep breath and said softly, "I may deserve the hostility for how I have treated him in the past, but that doesn't change the fact that he's still hiding something and that he's still lying to me. Marlena said she knew Adam would never do anything we'd consider wrong, but knowing that isn't enough. One of my jobs as a father and king is to protect him, and I can't very well do that without all the facts and knowing where he is and what he is doing! Doesn't he understand that?"

"It's a difficult situation, Your Highness, and there are no easy answers. Adam has become his own man who is not accustomed to sharing, much like his father, I might add. I say we wait for Adam to come to us, see what he offers us when he comes back from Etheria. Let's give him some space. Maybe that will be enough to allow him to calm down and open up." Duncan felt like a heel for giving the king such false hope. He knew Adam would never open up, and if he did, it would cause even more problems, more than he could probably even imagine.

* * *

Adora stared at her brother with wide eyes as he finished his story.

"And, here I am," said Adam, and he quickly fell into silence.

"So, Mother knows you're He-Man?" whispered Adora. Even though she hadn't been protecting Castle Grayskull's secrets for as long as her brother had, she knew the situation was grave. What could all of this possibly mean for Adam? Did the Sorceress know their mother possibly knew the truth? Would they have to…wipe her memory of the knowledge somehow?

Adam shrugged. "To tell the truth, sis, I had a suspicion that she knew for quite some time, but I never confirmed it because I liked the idea that she somehow knew. I wanted to keep believing it so I never asked. Her knowing my secret made me feel…better about things."

"But now it doesn’t?" Adora could tell this entire situation was eating at her dear brother, and she didn't know how to fix it. And, even more importantly, she didn't know how to feel. In one instant, she wanted to be mad at her parents just like Adam, but the next, she felt sorry for them. It had to be awful to know that your son was lying to you and hiding things from you…things that obviously led him to getting hurt and making your own friend lie to you. That's exactly what was going on in Eternia. No wonder everything was exploding. Everyone had a legitimate reason to be hurt or angry. There wasn't a bad guy in this situation, no one He-Man could point out as the guilty party. Sure, their mother laid herself up as the sacrificial lamb, but even she had a legitimate reason for her actions.

Adam, unaware of his sister's thoughts, groaned and turned back to lie down on the bed again. "I don't know," he mumbled. "I just got so angry when I realized she was the reason Father was suddenly questioning me all the time. Our relationship kept getting worse and worse, and she did that."

Adora scooted closer to her brother and laid her head on his shoulder while wrapping an arm around his waist. "I don't know if it's fair to blame Mother for everything," she said, honestly. "It seems to me Father made her feel the need to do this, and of course, you must have, as well."

She felt Adam stiffen, so she immediately lifted her head and turned to face him. She placed the palm of her right hand on his chest and pushed down heavily. "And, don't you even get angry at me for telling the truth!" she snapped in her Horde Force Captain voice.

All the air that Adam had been taking in to prepare for a verbal fight with his sister suddenly left him. He relaxed his body, and Adora immediately put her head back on his shoulder and resumed her former position.

After lying there for several minutes, both contemplating the situation, Adora stated, "I think part of the problem, brother, is that you are completely overwhelmed."

Adam smirked and said, "You could say that."

"I am," replied Adora, who also sat up and turned to face him. She squinted her eyes at him and said, "And to be perfectly honest, I could almost be a little upset with you, too!"

"W—what?" he stuttered.

Adora continued to glare at her brother. She knew he wasn't completely to blame, but she knew part of the reason why Adam was in such a dire situation: he had been pushed and prodded by Skeletor for a long period of time and he hadn't asked for any help. He just kept fighting and fighting and saving and saving. All the while, he never got any relief! He just kept going, and of course, when their parents started to take notice of his emotional and physical state, he became scared and lost it.

"Why didn't you ask me for help?" she asked calmly, even though she was leveling Adam with a look that would have made even the worst villain squirm.

"What?" he questioned again. "Adora, nothing was going on that warranted me to…"

Adora jumped up from bed and shouted, "By Horde World, Adam! Skeletor was running you ragged, and obviously, you needed someone to talk to long before now. Either situation should have made you contact me. Instead, you decided to stew alone in all of this. You didn't have to go through this alone, you know. I would have been there in an instant. If you had contacted me early enough, a lot of this might not have even happened. Sure, Mother probably would have made Father get on your case, but perhaps you wouldn't have reacted so harshly, maybe you would have thought through your words and actions a little better if you hadn't been so tired and irritable." When she stopped her tirade, she stared at her brother and tapped her foot impatiently, waiting for a response.

Adam's mouth was gaped open. "Did you just say 'By Horde World'?" he asked, sounding incredulous.

Adora sucked in a breath quickly and then said, "Oh, no, we are not turning this around onto me! That's an old habit that slips out every now and then. What we are going to do right now is discuss you and why you didn't ask for help."

"I didn't think I needed it," he answered.

"Adam, She-Ra has already attempted to heal you with the Sword of Protection, and even then, it didn't heal everything. How could things have possibly gotten that bad and you not know you needed help?" She knew the answer, but she wanted to see if Adam would admit it.

Adam closed his eyes and shook his head as he sat up from Adora's bed. "I didn't think things would get that bad, and when it did, it was already too late:  my relationship with Father got even worse. He started dictating what I was going to do and accused me of things I hadn't done. He also kept questioning me about where I was and what I was doing. He didn't care before. And, as for Skeletor, his antics just kept happening. It was becoming routine, almost. It never crossed my mind to ask for help from you, Adora."

Adora crossed her arms and said, "You think you can handle everything on your own! You can't, Adam! Don't you see that?"

Adam sighed, sounding and looking defeated. He swung his feet off the bed and turned his back to her. "I see that," he answered. "So, what are we going to do now?"

At that, Adora walked around the bed, wrapped her arm around her brother, and laid her head on his shoulder again. "It's simple," she answered. "We go back to Eternia and face it all together."

* * *

Adam and Adora stepped through the dimensional gate and were immediately greeted by the Sorceress on the other side.

"Welcome back to Eternia, Prince and Princess," she said with a smile.

Adora grinned nervously and said, "It's still going to take me a while to get used to that title."

Adam also smiled and wrapped an arm around her waist comfortingly. "It will come in time. You just haven't spent a lot of time on Eternia to get used to it, yet," he replied.

The Sorceress watched the twins with feelings of relief. It was obvious that the short time Adam had spent with Adora helped calm him. Undoubtedly, the Sword of Protection had done its part, as well. She stepped forward and stated, "I'm happy your trip to Etheria wasn't as long as everyone had been anticipating."

Adam grimaced slightly. "Uh, yeah, probably everyone thought I'd never come back."

"It had crossed some people's minds," she admitted.

Adora, refusing to allow her brother to slip into another funk, interjected energetically, "Yeah, well, won't they be surprised when they see Adam merely left to bring his sister home once again?"

The Sorceress smiled and replied, "Yes, they will be." She started walking away and the two siblings immediately followed. When they arrived to the throne room, the Sorceress turned around and said, "I suspect things will be better on Eternos now that you are both here, but I must warn you: despite the king and queen's feelings of remorse, the king still has questions for you, Adam. He still knows you're holding something back from him."

Adam shook his head in annoyance and sat down on the stairs that led to the Sorceress’ seat atop the throne. "Well, what am I supposed to say, Sorceress?" he asked, sadly. "He wants to know one of the secrets of Grayskull, one that you've said I cannot reveal."

"That is something for you to decide, Adam. I cannot answer that for you," replied the Sorceress.

"Why not?" he asked running his hand through his hair slowly. "It would be so much easier if I knew what to say that would solve all of this."

"There are no easy answers. This is your secret to bear and you must find a way to handle all threats concerning that secret."

Adora walked to her brother and sat down beside him. As she watched her brother slip into his thoughts, she questioned, "Why can't we just tell Father? Mother already knows and it hasn't caused anything catastrophic."

Adam huffed through his nose and quipped, "Speak for yourself, sis, I think Mom has caused enough problems because she knows my secret. I cannot imagine how worse it would be if Father knew."

"But how do you know it will cause a problem? Maybe her knowing caused problems because Father didn't also know. Maybe both knowing would resolve everything."

Adam looked at Adora hopefully, but both were startled by the Sorceress' sharp "no."

Adora stood up and went to the Sorceress. "I can't begin to understand everything about Castle Grayskull. I wasn't raised on Eternia, and I don't know you, Mother, or Father like I wish I did, but I just don't see how keeping this secret from our parents helps anyone."

The Sorceress lifted her hand to silence Adora's words. "Nothing would be the same if King Randor knew the true identity of He-Man."

"Is that so bad?" questioned Adora.

The Sorceress nodded. "Yes, it would be. King Randor, despite his occasional harsh treatment of Adam, loves him very much and only seeks to protect him. He has a fierce devotion to that desire. That is why he attacked his problem with Adam with such tenacity. He fears losing his family: he has feared it ever since he married the queen and it only intensified after you were born."

As Adora opened her mouth to respond, Adam spoke, "Why does he have this fear in the first place?"

The Sorceress faced Adam, glad that he was listening and curious enough to try to understand his father's actions. "Adam, you do realize who your mother is, don't you?" she asked.

Adam straightened and said, "Of course, she's the Queen of Eternia…"

The Sorceress raised her hand to silence the young prince. "Before then," she clarified.

"She…" his voice choked. He cleared his throat with a forced cough and tried again. "She was an astronaut from the planet Earth."

The Sorceress smiled and nodded. It was clear to Adora that this was supposed to answer Adam's question. "And?" she asked, still clueless.

The Sorceress turned to her and explained, "Your father never found love until he met Marlena. Before he disappeared, his father King Miro had wanted his son to settle down and was in the continuous process of finding suitable courtiers for Randor since no one had caught his son's eye. Your father knew he needed an heir, but he wanted to fulfill his obligations with the right person. As soon as he helped your mother from her ship, he knew she was the one."

The Sorceress paused as she watched Adam leave the steps and come to stand beside his sister. Both were listening intently to her story. "I know it seems like everything worked out perfectly from that point onward, but that wasn't the case. Terrible backlash had occurred once everyone was made aware of Randor's intention to marry Marlena."

"Why?" gasped Adora and Adam simultaneously.

"A few had a problem with the notion that an…‘alien’…would help rule Eternia," she replied. "Some of the arguments born in that time were brutal and unfair. Marlena, more than once, questioned if she should marry your father. And, each time, your father had to convince her to stay, to remind her that she shouldn't care about what others thought."

The Sorceress met Adam’s and Adora's eyes with her own. "Don't you see? Randor was scared of losing Marlena. He was scared the people would never allow him to marry her, and even more terrifying to him was the possibility that she would want to return to Earth. That's why he never pestered Duncan to find a way to restore her ship to working order. Of course, Man-at-Arms took that upon himself later."

Adam and Adora turned to each other briefly before looking at the Sorceress again. "And, what does this have to do with me?" asked Adam, softly.

"From the beginning of their relationship, Randor lived with the threat of Marlena leaving him one way or another. When you both were infants, Hordak stole Adora away. He lost you, Adora, and he lived with the constant fear that someone would try to take you, Adam. Imagine the king's pain to realize that he is responsible for driving you away. Imagine the king's terror when he realized he had no idea what you were doing and who you were doing it with. All those insecurities of losing his family once again bubbled to the surface. It's little wonder the king didn't forbid you to go anywhere or do anything once he realized you were disappearing."

Adam shook his head and said, "He basically did."

"What?" gasped Adora.

"I didn't mention it when I was telling you everything? One of Father's grand solutions was to keep me busy at all times. He was going to give me more responsibilities and he said he was to be made aware of my location at all times."

Adora looked at the Sorceress and pleaded, "There has to be some way to compromise. It isn't fair for Father to live with this constant threat and pain of not knowing. Wouldn't telling him solve it?"

"No, Adora. King Randor would not be happy to learn of your secret identities. It would make things ten times worse. Imagine if either one of you had a son and you learned that he was facing the universe's most dangerous villains on a regular basis, as well as endangering himself to save lives during natural disasters or whatever else occurred on the planet. How would you feel?"

Adam cleared his throat. "I wouldn't like it. I would dread every time something wrong happened," he answered.

Adora added, "I'd wonder everyday if today would be the day that the unthinkable happened, that I would lose my family."

The Sorceress nodded.

Adam closed his eyes briefly before going back to sit on the throne steps. Adora watched his slow progress and without turning to the Sorceress, she said, "We can't possibly be in an impossible situation! I refuse to believe that—there must be a way to resolve this!"

The Sorceress smiled and said, "I'm sure with you and Adam working together on this, you'll find a solution. I have no doubts."

Adora nodded and turned back to her brother. "Well, my brother, I believe that's our cue to get to Eternos and start working our way to an answer...together."

* * *


	20. Questions of Family...and Earth?

 

Noticing Adam Chapter 20

Adora watched her brother as they continued to make their way to Eternos. The farther along they went, the more his shoulders began to slump.

"It's not going to be that bad, brother," she said in an attempt to ease the anxiety he was obviously feeling.

Adam took a deep, relaxing breath and forced himself to smile. "I just don't know, Adora," he said softly. "Father might be angry that I decided to go to Etheria instead of working things out right away. He didn't want me to go."

"Well, it isn't like you stayed gone all that long, not even a day!" she reasoned. "You changed your mind, so that should count for something in his mind."

Adam turned his head to look at his sister. "One day you'll come to realize that when it comes to Father, he's got a mind of his own and he doesn't always do what you expect. In a lot of ways, that's why he's such a great king, but in other ways, it makes him…difficult."

Adora genuinely smiled and said brightly, "That reminds me of someone else I know. I wonder who." She moved closer to her brother and gave his side a push with her elbow.

Adam immediately grinned and replied, "I have no idea who you're talking about. I'm an open book." He winked at her quickly and Adora immediately laughed.

"Now, that's the brother I know!" she exclaimed happily. She wrapped her arm around his and leaned on him as they continued to walk. "I was truly beginning to worry if I wouldn't see him on this trip."

Adam, trying to stay in his good mood, acknowledged, "I know I haven't been myself recently, but things are just so much better when you're here, sis."

"Why is that?" she asked truly wanting to know.

Adam shrugged. "It's simple, really—I don't have to pretend with you."

"True, but what about Duncan, Cringer, the Sorceress, and Orko? You don't have to pretend around them," she stated.

Adam stopped as he considered the individuals she named. "It's different somehow," he decided. "I mean, aside from Cringer, they really have no idea what we truly go through. And, even Cringer doesn't have to deal with it to the extent that I do. He doesn't have anyone he must answer to…well, besides me, I suppose."

Adora leaned her head on her brother's arm and said, "I must admit you're alone on that, brother."

"Huh?"

Now, Adora shrugged. "I don't answer to anyone on Etheria. I'm the leader of the Great Rebellion, and when She-Ra shows up, she takes that position," she reasoned. "The only person I really answered to on that planet was Hordak, and of course, that was when I was a member of the Horde."

Adam thought about this for a moment and pulled away from Adora's grasp. He went to a nearby fallen tree and sat down on the log. He stared at his sister and asked, "Was Hordak a good father to you?"

Adora immediately gasped.

Adam stuck up his hand and shook his head to calm her. "I know given hindsight he seems like a monster, and he is: he stole you away from us, your family. But, was he good to you? Did he treat you like his daughter? I'm sorry I never asked before, and I don't know what's making me ask now, but…" He shrugged again.

Adora joined him on the log as she contemplated what she was going to say. She knew he was asking for a reason even if he didn't know exactly why himself. Regardless, she knew she had to be honest: "For the most part, he was very good to me. He didn't raise me to be evil. I suppose he wanted to make sure he didn't stop whatever special destiny he heard I was going to have." She paused again and met her brother's gaze. With a smile, she added, "Of course, we can't give Hordak all the credit for my turning out well. My caregiver Chakra had a lot to do with it, and of course, Shadow Weaver."

"Shadow Weaver?" asked Adam with wide eyes. He was clearly shocked.

Adora stood and turned to face her brother. "Chakra and Shadow Weaver were like mothers to me. Of course, Shadow Weaver's spells made me ignorant to the evil going on around me. You know that better than anyone…Hordak and Shadow Weaver were kind, but like I said, it was mainly because they wanted to use me."

Adam looked away from Adora and stared into the distance. "I don't know, sis. Despite the reasons for Hordak taking you, I think a certain amount of feelings would develop between the two of you. Because he was kind, because he was able to be kind, doesn't that imply that he…had some fatherly feelings toward you?"

Adora stepped into her brother's line of vision. She bent down in front of him and rested a hesitant hand on his knee. "Maybe," she answered, "but that doesn't change the fact that he kidnapped me. He took me from you, Mother, and Father. That's not the actions of a nice guy who genuinely loves me. He could have told me the truth at any time and let me return to Eternia. He didn't. Anyway, why are you asking me all of this?"

Adam shrugged again. "I don't know," he whispered, shaking his head slowly. "I just…I suppose I just want to know why things are so much easier for you. We share a similar secret and yet you seem to handle it so much better than me, and I've been doing this a lot longer."

"Adam!" admonished Adora. "You are being much too hard on yourself! It may seem like I handle things so much better than you, but the truth is I don't have the same pressures you do. I don't have parents watching my every move, and I don't have to worry about one day ruling Eternia. I have a feeling that if I were in your shoes, I would have broken down a long time ago."

Adam stared at Adora unbelievingly so she added, "Believe me, brother: you are my inspiration. You teach me every time I see you what a hero should be. You are my hero, after all!"

Adam immediately looked down feeling slightly embarrassed, but Adora reached under his chin and forced him to look at her again. "It's true," she reiterated. "And, things may be hard for you right now, but I have no doubt that you will find a way to make it work. You always do, Adam. You always persevere." As Adam nodded, she also added, "And, as long as these questions weren't asked to compare our father to Hordak, I think we need to get going. I'd like to be there before dinner."

At Adora's words, Adam immediately avoided her gaze, jumped up, and said, "Then, let's go." Without giving Adora the opportunity to respond to his actions, he grabbed her hand and tugged her along quickly.

=)=)=)

Queen Marlena stood in Adam's room staring at the large painting he had on the wall near his bookcase: it was a picture of her, Adam, Adora, and Randor. Adam and Adora were sitting in chairs beside one another while Randor stood behind Adam and she stood behind Adora. Randor's right hand firmly clutched Adam's right shoulder, and she couldn't help but smile at the sight. Randor had insisted on placing his hand there despite the painter's wishes to the contrary. Randor believed the gesture would make a statement, a statement that he never really shared with her.

"I remember the day that was painted," a voice said from the doorway.

Marlena, who was slightly startled, jumped and immediately turned towards the voice.

King Randor walked into the room and shut the door. "I was unaware Adam had a duplicate of the painting. I thought the only one hung in the entrance to the throne room," he said.

"So did I," she whispered.

"So, what are you doing in here, my dear?" Randor asked after several seconds of staring at the painting.

"I don't know," she admitted. "I guess I wanted to feel close to Adam. This is the only place I could think of to go."

Randor nodded. "I had the same desire and idea. I just wish I could go to Etheria and bring the boy home. That's what I truly want to do."

Marlena nodded but stated firmly, "He'll resent that, Randor. He already feels like you are trying to smother him recently. Chasing after him and forcing him to come home is not going to help matters at all."

Randor groaned loudly and said, "I know! I know! That's why I'm still here. I just hate not being able to do anything to get him back!"

"I know," acknowledged Marlena.

They grew silent again and after a minute more of staring at the painting, Marlena suddenly asked, "Why did you insist on placing your hand on Adam's shoulder in the painting?"

Randor smiled at his wife before slipping his arm around her waist and pulling her close to his side. "I was making a statement to our people," he answered.

That was the answer she expected. "And, what statement was that?"

Randor chuckled slightly and said, "That's right—you weren't raised in the court. I'm sorry, my queen. Sometimes I forget that. Placing my hand on his shoulder shows everyone that Adam has my full support. It tells our citizens, as well as our enemies, that he is my 'protégé.' It shows my confidence in him as a person and as the future ruler of Eternia. It shows my approval, my acceptance…and my love."

Marlena gasped in awe at Randor's words. If only Adam had heard the small speech. "For such a simple gesture, it means a great deal," she whispered.

"That it does," he agreed and stared at Adam in the portrait.

Marlena grew silent and eventually her eyes drifted to the corner of the painting. "This is really a work of Adam's!" she exclaimed.

"What?" asked Randor.

She pointed to the corner where Adam's name was clearly visible. She looked at the picture as a whole again and smiled. "I don't know why I didn't notice the differences before! This painting has us in my sitting room whereas the original has us in the Great Hall. And, I must admit we also look a lot happier in this painting. The other was more…stern."

"Well, it was a family portrait for the people moreso than it was for us," agreed Randor.

He stared at the painting again, taking in the differences he hadn't noticed before and then added, "Clearly Adam wanted one of us as we truly are." His voice broke. "Or rather, 'as we truly were.'"

=)=)=)

Adam and Adora walked toward the main entrance of the city, and as soon as they reached the doors, a guard yelled from a nearby watch tower, "Halt! Who goes there? State your business!"

Adora and Adam watched as the guard stepped out of the tiny building. When the guard finally got a good look at the two visitors, he sputtered, "Pr-Prince Adam! Princess Adora! Forgive me! I wasn't paying attention to who you were!"

Adam grinned and waved at him. "That's okay, Deidro. Open the gates, please!"

"Yes, sir!" he exclaimed. He stepped back in the building and punched the button to open the doors. Then, he quickly climbed the ladder to the wall's top and yelled loudly, "THE PRINCE AND PRINCESS HAVE RETURNED!"

As Adam and Adora stepped into the enclosed walls of Eternos, they heard the guard's words being echoed throughout the many buildings and by the many people walking around. Adam knew within the minute, everyone would be aware of their presence.

He glanced at Adora who looked fairly surprised. "Come on," he whispered, taking her arm, wrapping it around his, and starting to lead her towards the palace. "Mother and Father know we're here now, so we might as well get this over with."

Shortly thereafter, Adam and Adora walked into the throne room and were shocked to find it empty. "Where is everyone?" asked Adam, looking at a chronometer on the far wall. "Usually Father is in here until dinner time unless something urgent happens."

"Well, we did have that battle earlier," offered Adora.

Adam looked around the room worriedly and replied, "No, the debris from that was clear." He was about to suggest that they find Man-at-Arms to question him when suddenly the doors slammed open loudly. The sound made Adam and Adora jump. Standing in the doorway was King Randor with Queen Marlena close behind.

The royal couple took one look at the room's occupants and grinned. "Adora!" exclaimed Randor and Marlena. Immediately, the king and queen ran and threw their arms around their daughter. Randor then added, "Oh, how I have missed you!"

Adam watched the proceedings with a sad smile. His father was obviously thrilled to see Adora. No one else had the power to make his father speak so animatedly. In those moments with Adora, it seemed like no one else existed to the king. But, of course, he couldn't really blame him.

Suddenly feeling the need to give his parents and Adora some time and space with one another, he turned to leave the room. As he approached the door to make his escape, he noticed that his mother had pulled away from the reunion and was watching and approaching him. He quickly gave her a small wave and forced himself to smile at her as he stepped into the corridor and closed the door behind him. Hopefully, that would be enough to convince her that he was okay. He had seen her expression and knew she had been coming over to console him…he didn't want to deal with that or her questions right now, especially with Adora tied up with their father.

Feeling the need for a hideaway for at least a little while, he asked himself silently, "Where do I go?"

Soon Adam found himself walking into the Royal Library without any real conscious thought on his location. When he had been upset as a child, he always found himself there reading more often than not, and despite that he was now grown, it was still as good a place as any to spend the day, or at least what was left of it. Besides, the library would be the last place his father would look for the feckless Prince Adam he believed his son to be…if he even had the notion to look for him now that Adora was back on Eternia. Adam sighed as he admitted to himself that he still didn't want to face to the king, yet. Adora would be furious.

He grimaced as he shut the library's door and set about finding a book to take his mind off of things for as long as he could.

=)=)=)

Queen Marlena sighed as she watched the door close softly. She wished she knew what was going on in the mind of that son of hers. She had seen his expression as he left the room—it was one of determination and profound sadness in spite of his forced smile. She had no doubt that his determination to leave the room was caused by that sadness, but what had caused the emotion this time? Adam had returned and brought Adora with him. He obviously wanted to work things out, and Adora was here to help. Why else would he return to Eternia so quickly after being so adamant about leaving? Why did Adam leave the room during such a joyous reunion?

Marlena closed her eyes as she contemplated her child's actions, but she soon realized his reasons didn't really matter at that point. The only thing that did matter was his presence.

She quickly swept from the room, determined to bring Adam back before Adora and Randor realized they were gone. Of course, the question was "Where did Adam go?"

The queen stood outside the throne room thinking about all of the places her son would possibly go. His bedchambers would be out of the question. So much had taken place there that he knew he wouldn't be left alone there. He wouldn't go to Man-at-Arm's workshop for the same reason. While he might be willing to talk with Duncan, he risked the possibility of running into Teela, and she highly doubted he would want to talk with her right now despite their accord before he went to Etheria.

No, Adam was somewhere else. The EvergreenForest? No, that location helped cause a lot of problems. The same could be said about Castle Grayskull. Orko's room? It was possible, but again, she doubted her son would want to talk to even Orko. The jester would surely want to comfort him and offer support. No, he would want to be some place where he could be alone, where it was quiet and hard to be noticed. Somewhere like…like…the Royal Library.

Happy that she now had deduced a place to look, she headed down the hall like a woman on a mission. All of the palace staff, who would normally take the time to speak to the queen and greet her, stayed silent and cleared the way. They could tell something was going on with their queen and knew considering recent rumors that it was best to stay clear of the entire royal family until things settled down.

=)=)=)

Adam selected a book of fairytales his mother had written when he was a baby. She claimed that the works weren't hers and that the words weren't entirely accurate since she was retelling them from memory, but she had written it anyway. She had told him several times in the past that she felt the need to share what little she could of Earth with him. After all, Earthlings were just as much his people as Eternians. She had explained that Earthlings often read fairytales to their children; it was a way for parents and their children to bond…

His mother had been the only one to read to him when he was a child. His father had always been too busy at court.

He flipped to the first story and smiled ironically at the title: "Hansel and Gretel." It was a story about a brother and sister being purposely abandoned by their parents, and as if that wasn't enough, they had to fight a cannibalistic witch.

Adam found that he couldn't bring himself to read it. He couldn't read about this evil woman wanting to leave these small children in the woods, and he especially couldn't read about the father who eventually agreed to do this to his own children. Besides, he knew the story and the ending well. The children found their way back home to discover that their stepmother had died inexplicably, and the children and their father lived happily ever after.

In Adam's opinion, the father didn't deserve a happy ending.

Adam grinned to himself with ill-humor at the thought of writing a sequel. Allow Hansel and Gretel to grow up and think about their father's actions. What would they think of him then? Would they really still live "happily ever after"? He thought not. That wouldn't be the way he would write it. Of course, he knew he wouldn't write it at all. Why would he want to saddle someone else with the woes of dealing with his or her parents' wrongdoings even if it was only a fairytale? Let them have their happy ending.

Adam flipped to the next story: "Little Red Riding Hood." Just as Adam settled down at a table to read in the back of the room, he heard the library door open. He couldn't see who it was since his table was behind several large bookshelves, but he hoped it was someone who would grab a book quickly and leave. It was probably a bored guard, anyway.

Adam read several paragraphs and ignored the few sounds he heard from a bookshelf behind him. It wasn't until he felt two hands rest on his shoulders that he realized the intruder wasn't here to get a book at all. He or she wanted him.

He turned around and sighed as he met his mother's gaze. "Hello, Mother," he said, softly, and turned back toward the book and tried to start reading again.

Marlena didn't return the greeting. She knew she would have to get him to warm to her before she asked him what she really wanted to know. Instead, she sat down in a nearby chair around the corner of the table from where he was sitting, scooted closer, and reached over to brush his bangs into place with her fingers.

Adam raised his head again and gave her a questioning look. He knew it would be impossible to ignore her. She obviously wanted his attention, and he realized he might as well talk to her and try to forgive and forget. It was the only way any of them were going to move on. Besides, he found it easier to forgive and talk to his mother than his father. That had always been the case. "Yes?" he asked.

His mother looked at the book in his hands and smiled. "I haven't seen you with that book in years," she whispered, fondly.

Adam shrugged, relieved to discuss anything besides recent events. "I just wanted to lose myself for a little while, and this seemed like a good thing to immerse myself in."

The queen nodded and replied, "Yes, fairytales certainly have a way of drawing you in and making you forget about the mundane things in life. Of course, when it comes to the fairytales from Earth, Eternia, for all its fantastical elements, seems to be their setting sometimes. The stories might not be all that otherworldly to you, unfortunately, so it might be a little harder to lose yourself in them."

Adam raised his eyebrow as he thought about his earlier thoughts on "Hansel and Gretel" and then what the Sorceress had told him that very day about his parents' past. "Mother, do you ever think about going back to Earth?" he asked suddenly.

Marlena gasped at her son and asked flabbergasted, "Why would you ask that?"

He took a deep breath and explained, "I was just wondering if you miss it a great deal. You told me once that I would find it very boring because there are no talking green tigers and magic, but sometimes I think I would like a little 'mundaneness.' You have experienced that life, so I naturally wondered if you miss it from time to time and want to go back."

It was a hard question to answer, and she could see that Adam wanted an answer. "Sometimes I do miss it," she admitted. She looked into her son's eyes, and when she saw no alarm or worry, she continued. "I sometimes miss the family I left behind. And, yes, in many ways, things were a lot simpler on Earth…but that's not always true. It depends on the situation. Believe it or not, things move a lot faster on Earth. People are always in a rush there to do the next thing, whatever that happens to be. And, don't let all the Earthlings you've met fool you—we're not all friendly. Earth has its troubles, as well."

"There's no Skeletor," replied Adam.

Marlena nodded. "You're right, but there are other Earthlings who are capable of causing just as much destruction as Skeletor. Every world probably has its share of people like that." Marlena fell quiet for a few seconds and then asked, "Why are you asking me this all of a sudden, Adam?"

He shrugged. "I told you, I just wondered."

"Yes, but what made you wonder?"

He glanced down at the book, picked it up, and waved it at her. "I have Earth to thank for a lot of wonderful childhood memories with you, and I've never even been there," he answered. "Sometimes I think about going."

"Going?" she asked, concernedly. "Going where?"

"Earth," he answered. "That planet is part of who I am, too, is it not? And, sometimes when I find myself wanting to get away from everything and everyone here, I wish I could go there and meet my grandparents and cousins who probably don't even know I exist." Adam seemed to look off into the distance and mumbled, "It would be nice to go to a place and feel like I belong. It's been so long since I truly felt that way on Eternia. Sometimes I wonder if I'd find that feeling on Earth."

Marlena immediately got up and wrapped her arms around her son. She pulled his head to her chest and allowed him to rest it there as he also wrapped his arms around her. "You belong here, my son. This is where you truly belong. You're He-Man, after all," she replied.

Adam huffed. "He-Man? Everything always goes back to him, doesn't it?"

Marlena held him tighter and replied, "But he's not the only reason, Adam. You belong here because this is your home. We love you and we wouldn't want you to leave us. Surely, you know that."

Adam nodded.

"And, besides," she added with a grin, "you are to be King of Eternia one day. You surely couldn't do that from Earth."

As Marlena and Adam smiled at one another, a loud voice boomed, "EARTH? Who said ANYTHING about Adam going to EARTH? I FORBID IT!"

Adam and Marlena quickly turned to see a red-faced Randor and a very shocked Adora.

The queen quickly answered, "No one mentioned anything about Adam actually going to Earth!"

"Well, someone must have said something," he yelled, "and it's NOT going to happen!"

Just as Adam opened his mouth to respond, he touched his forehead as he felt the Sorceress contact him.

"Prince Adam! It's Skeletor! He's attacking Castle Grayskull once more and I can't hold him off for much longer!"

"I'm on my way, Sorceress!" replied Adam telepathically as he looked at Adora who was already looking at him with a look of concern. He wondered if the Sorceress had spoken to her, too.

He quickly looked at his father who was still raging about no one being allowed to go to Earth, whether it was Adam, Marlena, or Adora. He knew in that instant that his father was on a roll and no one would be able to get him to listen until he calmed down. Unfortunately, he didn't have the time to wait.

He shook his head and yelled to whoever could hear him over his father's protestations, "I have to go!"

As he ran from the room, King Randor was hot on his heels. "You're not going anywhere!" he bellowed, chasing after him with Adora and Queen Marlena following, as well.

=)=)=)


	21. Choosing to Reveal

Noticing Adam Chapter 21

"ADAM, STOP!" yelled King Randor as he followed his son out of the library.

He couldn't believe it! When Adam had shown back up with Adora, for a split second he believed he and his son would be able to talk and work things out. Adora had even stated that was Adam's desire…but Adam left, forcing them to search every room until they found him.

And, what did he find when he walked into the library?

His wife and son discussing going to Earth, a place he feared like no other because it had the power to take everything he held precious away from him! He couldn't allow Adam to go; he just couldn't. What if Adam decided he liked it better on Earth? What if he met someone and decided to spend the rest of his life there? What if his desire to go was simply to get away from his supposedly overbearing father? He'd never see him again! Adam would never fulfill his destiny and sit on the throne of Eternia. The king found those thoughts unbearable.

Randor increased his speed as he watched Adam sprint farther away from him and turn the corner. He was determined to stop him! It was one thing for Adam to go to Etheria to get away. After all, he knew where his son would be. The Whispering Woods he had heard so much about would be the only place his son could stay on the planet; therefore, he would know where to look to get him back. But if Adam went to Earth? He would have no idea where to begin! He doubted even Marlena would know since she always described Earth as a large planet with many, many people and places to go when compared to Eternia. No, Adam couldn't go! The risk was too great!

As Randor turned the corner, he was dismayed to find no trace of Adam. He had no idea where the boy went. Closing his eyes and muttering a small prayer to the Ancients, he chose one of the more obscure and longer corridors hardly anyone ever chose to walk through since there was a faster route, and he hoped he chose the right one. He ran and ran until he was nearly on the verge of collapsing, but he knew he had to keep going if he wanted to keep Adam on Eternia. One more turn and he'd be in the hallway which led to the outdoors.

Randor turned the corner of the hall at a high rate of speed and before he could even try to bring himself to a halt, he slid into Adam who was holding a sword in the air and saying the words, "By the pow…"

Adam and Randor hit the floor simultaneously with a terrible and sickening thud.

"Adam," gasped Randor, and he immediately launched onto his son's arms and waist to pull him against him. Once Randor locked his hands together at the center of Adam's chest, he wrapped his legs around his, as well. Adam was stronger and a lot bigger than Randor, so the king knew this was the only way he had a chance of stopping the prince.

"Father, I have to go! Let me go!" yelled Adam who tried feverishly to pull out of his father's constrictive grasp.

"Listen to me!" Randor yelled as he tightened his grip in response to Adam's words and his attempts to free himself. "Listen to me!"

The commotion was heard throughout the halls, so Adora and Marlena, who had fallen behind, found them easily after a couple of minutes searching.

But the commotion didn't only bring Adora and Marlena. Man-at-Arms, Orko, Cringer, and Teela were outside near the same corridor and quickly ran inside to see what the screams were all about. They were shocked to find Randor restraining his son.

"Man-at-Arms!" Randor yelled, relieved to see his friend. "Help me get Prince Adam to his room!"

Duncan widened his eyes in alarm and didn't know what to do. Adam was obviously trying to get away for a reason, and it was probably a good one.

"Father," Adam continued to yell, "you don't understand! I really need to go!"

"Adam, you are not going anywhere!" insisted Randor, who brought his voice to a more natural level. He knew he needed to calm things down or he and Adam would be on this floor all night since it seemed Duncan was paralyzed.

Adam looked around desperately. The Sorceress and he didn't have time for this, so he needed to do something quickly…but what? He could break his father's hold, but he knew he'd hurt him in the process and he didn't want to do that. There was only one thing he could do, so he did it. He knew there would be some repercussions, but he would deal with them, then.

"Duncan," he cried, "Castle Grayskull is under attack! The Sorceress is weakening and needs help!"

Duncan immediately turned his attention to Adora and Teela and told them to follow him.

As Duncan, Teela, Adora, and Orko ran outside, Randor sat there speechless for a few moments. He was surprised that Man-at-Arms believed Adam and actually left to go to Grayskull. Despite his momentary shock, he was quickly brought to senses by Adam's renewed attempts to free himself.

"Why did you lie to them like that?" questioned Randor, who didn't know quite how he was feeling. Anger and fear seemed to intertwine themselves around his psyche, and he didn't know which one to express, if either.

"I'm not lying, Father!" cried Adam. "Castle Grayskull is under attack and I need to go help, now!"

Randor grimaced at what he thought was a blatant lie. Now, the king knew he was angry! "And, how do you know this, Adam?" he spat. "I was in the library, remember? You were speaking calmly with your mother one moment and the next you're screaming about having to go somewhere after I forbade you to go to Earth! And, where is it you're conveniently screaming to go to? The very place where you could find a way to Earth! I cannot allow you to go, Adam!"

Adam groaned and looked up at his mother. "I'm not planning on going to Earth! Tell him, Mother!"

Marlena winced at Adam's expression. The sheer desperation in his eyes frightened her. She knew he was afraid Skeletor would succeed without his being there to fight him, so she quickly knelt down beside her husband. She brushed the hair from Randor's eyes and met his gaze. "He's telling the truth, Randor," she said calmly. "He's not planning on going to Earth. He asked me if I missed it sometimes and he basically admitted he was curious about the planet. You can't blame him for that—he is my son, you know."

Randor shook his head and said, "No, I heard you! You were convincing him to stay! You reminded him that he was to be king and that he couldn't do that from Earth! You cannot deny what you said!"

The queen sighed and replied, "Randor, are you now accusing me of lying to you? You obviously didn't hear the entire conversation! He isn't planning on going to Earth!"

Randor turned his eyes away from his queen and buried his face briefly in Adam's hair. After a few moments, the king pulled back and said decisively, "It doesn't matter. Either way, he's staying, and I'm not letting him off this floor until I know for certain that he knows that."

"It wasn't my plan to leave Eternia, Father!" bellowed Adam. "I'm not going anywhere! I was heading for Grayskull to defend it, not to find a way to leave!"

Randor squeezed his eyes shut and frowned. "We're back on that again? Adam, do you take me for a fool?"

"No!"

"Then, why are you insisting that you were going to Castle Grayskull because the Sorceress is in trouble?"

"Because it's the truth!"

Randor smirked. "Son, never mind the fact that you weren't in a hurry to leave the library until I got there, never mind the fact that you received no message from any courier while I was in the room, how can you possibly expect me to believe the Sorceress of Grayskull would call YOU, of all people, for help?"

Adam immediately stopped moving. He knew where this was going and closed his eyes to prepare for it.

"It's far more likely that the Sorceress would contact Teela, Man-at-Arms, or even me before she would contact you!" he continued, oblivious to Adam's stillness. "Everyone on Eternia knows you can't fight and that you run from trouble! Why would the Sorceress call a coward for help when she has a million better options? By the Ancients, Adam, even Orko would be a better choice!"

Marlena cried out at Randor's words and watched in agony as her son's shoulders slumped and his head bowed to the floor. He looked…defeated. "Stop it! Stop it!" she cried and pulled at Randor's arms to get him to let go of their son.

"Marlena, stop!" Randor ordered forcefully.

Immediately, Marlena went to Adam's front side and hugged him desperately. "He doesn't know," she whispered in his ear. "Please, Adam, he doesn't know any better! Don't take it to heart!"

Adam finally looked up with tears in his eyes. He pressed his lips together in a brief look of defiance and whispered back, "He may not know everything, but to imply that I'm useless…" he shook his head. "Orko is better in an emergency than me? I…I don't even know what to say anymore."

Adam allowed his head to drop to his mother's shoulder and sat there silently. He no longer tried to pull away from his father. The king wouldn't let him go, anyway, and the battle was surely underway if not over. He hoped the right side won without any casualties. She-Ra would be there; that was a little consolation.

Eventually, Randor let his son go. After spending almost thirty minutes on the floor, he felt confident enough to reassure himself that Adam's desire to run was gone or at least postponed. He stood, brushed himself off, and extended a hand to Marlena. As he pulled her up, Adam got to his feet, as well. With his face still facing the floor, he started to walk away until he heard Teela's voice.

"Adam!" she called as she walked back into the palace. She was clearly disheveled from battle: her hair was matted to her head, portions of her outfit had holes in it, and she was covered in dirt. When she reached Adam, she asked, "How did you know Grayskull was under attack? We got there just in the knick of time! The Sorceress collapsed just as we got out of the AttakTrak. I shudder to think what would have happened if you hadn't told us to go!"

Adam raised his head slightly and looked at Teela and then his father, who seemed to be shocked at the news. "Good," he thought venomously. His actual reply was a contemptuous look toward his father which he held for several seconds and the words, "I suppose it was a good guess or just a coincidence."

Teela looked from Adam to the king and was astonished to feel the animosity fairly rolling off of Adam in waves. Before she could reply or ask anything in return, her father and Adora came inside and ran to them.

"Is everything okay here?" asked Adora, looking worriedly at her brother. She could feel his anger in her mind, almost as if it were her own.

Adam finally lifted his head now that Adora was there. He picked up his sword from the ground, walked over to Adora, grabbed his sister's hand, and said, "No! Everything is not all right! Let's get out of here!"

Adam started to lead his sister away from the crowd, but when he heard the protests and gasps, he immediately whirled around and yelled, "WE'RE ONLY GOING TO MY BEDCHAMBER!"

The only one to follow them closely after that was Cringer, who had watched the entire scene silently. He was scared, and for once he wasn't sure if Adam or He-Man could fix what was wrong in the world this time.

=)=)=)

Adam pulled Adora into his bedroom and slammed the door shut. His actions fairly tore the hinges off the wall, and Cringer had barely gotten into the room in time! His tail had been centimeters from being caught.

"Adam, calm down, my brother!" cried Adora. She was truly shocked and worried to see him display such erratic behavior. He was pacing the floor and muttering to himself.

Adam went to his bed after hearing his sister's plea, sat down, squeezed his eyes shut, and breathed deeply to gather his self-control. After several moments of intense silence, Adam finally opened his eyes, glanced at Adora, and said, "I'm lucky you're here: one 'my brother' from you and I melt."

Adora sat beside him, laid her head on his shoulder affectionately, and replied, "I'll remember that from now on."

The prince quickly wrapped his arms around his sister and held her tightly.

Adora returned the hug and whispered, "What happened? I know things were pretty bad when I left, but I have a feeling it got worse."

"A lot worse," replied Adam, pulling back from her embrace. He saw that he had Adora's and Cringer's undivided attention, so he continued, "He was obsessed with the possibility that I was leaving to go to Earth. Mother and I both told him countless times that wasn't my intention, but he wouldn't listen! He refused to let go, and then, he resorted to telling me how worthless I am and that's how he knew I was lying about Skeletor attacking Grayskull. 'Why would the Sorceress contact a coward like me for help' he said. He bet he's asking himself that question right now! And, you know what, sis? I doubt he'll ever know. I don't think I even want him to know anymore!"

Adora sighed and said, "You're just mad right now. You don't mean that, Adam, and honestly, I don't see why you're this upset. You know why Father is reacting this way! He doesn't know you're He-Man and you've led him to believe that you are a coward. Given those facts, how could he not ask himself and you that question? And, as for his obsession with you not going to Earth, well, you heard the Sorceress today! He has always feared the possibility of Mother leaving to go back to Earth and now he feels like he has to worry about you leaving him to go there, too!"

Adam jumped up from the bed, feeling slightly annoyed with his sister, and questioned loudly, "And, just whose side are you on?"

"My family's," she responded without hesitation.

His sister's answer made him pause. Of course, she wouldn't want to take sides, and truthfully, he didn't want her to. He didn't even really want to have sides. He sat back down on the bed next to her and said, "I know what you're saying is true, sis, but why does Father always have to take it that next step farther? He doesn't allow anyone to explain. He just starts ordering people around and forbidding them to do whatever he fears or doesn't like. And, instead of just questioning why the Sorceress would call me, he decides to actually call me a coward, and THEN, he proceeds to tell me that there are a million better choices than me, including Orko." Adam shook his head irritably. "Why? Tell me why! It isn't like I'm unaware of my reputation. Why add insult to injury?"

"I can't answer any of that," replied Adora, patiently. "The only person who can is Father. Why don't you ask him?"

Adam rolled his eyes as he lay back on the bed and said, "Because I don't want to talk to him. If I bring the subject up, he's going to be defensive and start asking questions I can't answer! Then, we're just going to argue again, so what's the point? Nothing I say will make Father see me any differently."

Adora lay back on the bed beside him, as well, and suggested, "Why don't you change your reputation? Start—I don't know—offering to do things. Find a middle ground between He-Man and the Prince Adam you are now! Be the person you are on Etheria! Bow, Glimmer, Queen Angella…basically everyone there thinks highly of you! When I first met Bow, he talked about your bravery and how the both of you took on three Horde Troopers by yourselves!"

Adam sighed and said, "I can't, Adora. It's different on Etheria. They don't see me or He-Man on a regular basis, and even if someone there discovered my secret, the probability of Skeletor finding out would be slight…unless the person was Hordak." He shook his head and continued, "I can't take the risk of someone here putting two and two together. I have to separate myself from He-Man as much as I can. Besides, I already had that idea, and it didn't even work for one day. Father and Mother had a fit when they discovered I had investigated reports of explosions near Drisdos. It wasn't remotely dangerous, and yet, they acted like I had done the most foolish and reckless thing ever!"

Adora laid her head on her brother's shoulder and sighed, also feeling her brother's woes. The more she listened to him talk, the more depressed she became. He did have quite a dilemma on his hands. There was only one thing she could think of that would solve all of this nonsense. She quickly sat up and turned around to face her sibling. "Then, let's do it," she said firmly. Her eyes fairly sparkled with determination.

"Do what?" he asked.

"You fear Father discovering the truth, but let's eliminate that fear! Instead of Father discovering who you are, we can just tell him!" she explained.

Adam's eyes widened as he heard his sister's plan and also sat up. "We already discussed this with the Sorceress! Father would not be happy. He would always fear the worst when something bad happened on Eternia. Not to mention, the more people who know, the more likely Skeletor will find out. It's probable that Father would slip up somehow. That would put a big bull's-eye right on our parents' heads," he reasoned.

Adora shrugged and insisted, "But don't they have that anyway? They are the king and queen of Eternia. I seem to remember you telling me stories of Skeletor going after Mother and Father and almost succeeding. They're already in danger, Adam, and so are you. Father cannot deny that. He should find comfort in the fact that you are the strongest man in the universe!"

Adam stood up, rubbed his chin, and paced as he considered his sister's plan. The Sorceress would not be happy. He distinctly remembered her yelling "no" at Adora when she suggested it at Grayskull. But of course, the reasons she gave for not telling him were the ones they just discussed. Adora seemed to think it wouldn't change much aside from things getting better. Sure, it might be a little hard at first for their father, but he would learn to deal with it, just like their mother had.

Adam suddenly faced his sister and dropped his hands to his sides. "Are you going to tell them you're She-Ra, too?" he questioned.

"Yes," she resolved.

Adam nodded and then announced, "Okay, then my answer is 'yes.' Let's tell him."

With relieved smiles, the twins walked out of the bedchamber hand-in-hand.


	22. A Father's Wrath

Noticing Adam Chapter 22

The silence in the hallway was unbearable. King Randor looked at his wife and friends hoping one of them would say something, but he had a feeling they were just as confused as he was:  Adam had been telling the truth.

There really had been an attack at Castle Grayskull that Adam had somehow known about. No, he knew how Adam had found out—the Sorceress must have contacted him while his son and he were speaking, but how? Telepathy? Duncan had insinuated a couple of times when he recounted past battles that she had the ability to do so, but Randor never thought she would use this ability to contact Adam. Why would she?

King Randor shook his head wearily. Nothing made sense anymore. He thought he knew so much about his son and Eternia, but obviously, he didn't have a clue.

He turned to Duncan and asked, "The battle went well?"

Duncan nodded slowly—even Man-at-Arms seemed to be at a loss for words.

Randor closed his eyes briefly in contemplation of the day's events before he added, "And, the Sorceress contacted Adam to help her win this battle."

Duncan didn't confirm or deny this because the king's words sounded like a statement rather than a question.

Randor turned his gaze to Marlena who had tears pouring down her face. "I've made things worse, haven't I?" he asked, forlornly. He turned away from everyone and then started pacing back and forth. "I don't even know what to say, do, or think anymore!" He suddenly pulled his crown from his head and threw it angrily against the wall.

The loud bang his actions caused made everyone else in the hall jump. Instead of retrieving the crown, Randor let it lay there and turned his attention back to Man-at-Arms. "I only wanted to help him, keep him at my side, and protect him. I didn't know…By the Ancients, he was telling the truth this whole time!"

"Yes, your Majesty," replied Duncan, who finally found the ability to speak and move again.

Randor sighed and shook his head slowly again. "I'm afraid I've driven him away for good this time. I've never seen him look at me that way. Did you see…after Teela questioned him about how he knew? He looked at me with such contempt when he said he must have made a good guess. I wouldn't be surprised if that look was really hatred."

Marlena wrapped her arms around him from behind and replied, "He doesn't hate you, Randor."

"Really?" asked the king, miserably. "Why doesn't he? I said such hateful things today…and I have no real excuse as to why! I thought he was lying to me. A good father knows when his child is being truthful or not…and I didn't know. No wonder he wants to go to Earth!"

Teela, who had been standing there uncomfortably watching and listening to the king's broken-hearted ramblings, gasped. Adam wanted to go to Earth? Surely, she didn't hear the king correctly! She continued to watch as her father went over to the crown and picked it up. It now had a sizeable dent in it, but the king didn't seem to notice as Duncan handed it back to him. He merely toted it in his hand as he, the queen, and her father walked toward the throne room. They were obviously going there to discuss the day's events, but she was torn as to where she should go. She felt an intense desire to see Adam, see if he was okay, and talk him out of leaving Eternia, but Adora was surely doing that right now. And, as for the king, he was terribly distraught over all the events plaguing the palace recently. If what happened in the hallway was any indication, he would want her to help him prevent Adam's departure, whether it was to Earth or elsewhere. Deciding to follow King Randor to see his thoughts on everything and what he would plan, she followed everyone into the throne room.

=)=)=)

He couldn't believe it—he was actually going to do this! Adora and he were going to tell their father everything! He didn't know whether he should be giddy or downright terrified. So many things could happen! And, once the words were uttered, they could never be undone!

He looked over at Adora as they walked towards the throne room and noticed the determination clearly etched onto her face. If she had any hesitations, she wasn't showing them. Of course, this had been her plan from the start, and only the Sorceress' urgings and explanations had stopped his sister from insisting that they reveal everything before now. After all, the Sorceress did have a compelling argument but so did Adora. And, the Sorceress always said it was their secret to bear. If that's true, then it was also their secret to tell.

Adam took a deep breath as Adora and he stopped outside the throne room doors. He smiled at his sister and asked, "Any doubts?"

"None," she replied confidently. You?"

Adam couldn't help but chuckle. "A million," he answered honestly, "but I want to do this. I hate lying to Father, and I know this will resolve all of our problems. I will no longer have to hide and he'll get the truth he's been asking for."

Adora nodded before grabbing her brother's hand and asking, "Ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be."

Adora immediately pushed the doors open, and the twins came to stand in the middle of the room before the throne where their parents were seated. Swallowing roughly, Adam took a deep, calming breath before saying, "Father, Adora and I have something we would like to tell you."

=)=)=)

Queen Marlena gasped as Adam and Adora walked into the room hand-in-hand. She knew something was up by just looking at them. Adora seemed confident and determined while Adam seemed nervous but relieved. She widened her eyes as she realized what might be happening. "Are they going to tell him?" she wondered.

As Adam announced that they had something to tell the king, Marlena couldn't help but hold her breath. The moment she longed for since she had discovered Adam's secret had arrived. Randor would know everything! He would know just who this young man was and everything he had done for Eternia!

Adam took into account everyone who was in the room: two guards, Man-at-Arms, Teela, and his parents. Everyone present could not hear their secret. He cleared his throat to get everyone's undivided attention and said authoritatively as he turned to the guards, "Man-at-Arms is in the room, so you two are dismissed."

The guards widened their eyes slightly at the prince. They were the king's personal sentinels and never before had the prince ordered them to do anything, much less leave. Not knowing if their obedience was from shock or the prince's tone which told them nothing else would be acceptable, they immediately turned their eyes downward in acquiesce. "Yes, Your Majesty," they replied simultaneously as they bowed and left the room, closing the doors soundly behind them.

Randor couldn't help but stand amazed as he watched the proceedings unfold. Adam changed before his very eyes: when his son had walked into the room, he had seemed like his usual self, but when he turned to the guards, he noticed that Adam stood straighter—more confidently—and gave his order with such firm resolve that everyone in the room knew he would not be disobeyed. Clearly, the guards got the message loud and clear. They didn't even look to the king for his dismissal! They followed their prince's command without hesitation. *This* was the prince Randor had wanted to see for so very long! Where had his son hidden him? The ability to create this kind of ambience and compliance in others did not appear overnight. No, Adam had this skill long before now.

Adam turned his attention back to his father and watched as the king almost stumbled down the throne steps. Once he stood before him, Randor opened his mouth to speak.

Immediately, the prince raised his hand with two fingers pointed upward to silence his father, and it worked. Randor stood completely mesmerized by the princely countenance in front of him as the future king of Eternia held his gaze and said, "There is something I wish to tell you, Father, something that I have wanted to tell you for a long time, but I had been sworn to secrecy."

Man-at-Arms could not believe his eyes or ears! Adam couldn't possibly be telling the king that he was He-Man, but that was clearly the boy's intention!

Adam continued, "I don't know quite how to say this since I've never had to reveal it to anyone before, but Adora and I have decided we can no longer keep you in the dark. You deserve to know, and I deserve the right to tell you. The truth that you have wanted to know since I got hurt at Castle Grayskull—and truthfully long before—is that I'm not who I seem to be. I am not the cowardly and fun-seeking Prince Adam everyone thinks I am. The truth is that I'm…"

Suddenly, a loud ring overwhelmed Adam and Adora. Both siblings dropped to their knees and held their hands over their ears. "What's happening?" yelled Adora.

Adam grimaced in pain and forced himself to look at his sister. "I don't know!" he answered. He turned to Duncan who stood there, looking at them questioningly. "Duncan! What is this noise? It's terrible!"

Duncan shook his head and replied, "There is no noise!"

Once those words were uttered, the sound seemed to get louder to the twins and they had no choice but to yell out in pain.

Randor quickly kneeled beside them and forced his son to look at him. "What's happening, Adam? Tell me!"

"I don't know," he gasped. "The noise…it's deafening."

Randor turned to Duncan and then Marlena and Teela. It was obvious no one else heard this noise. It was heard only by his children. In a moment of clarity, he knew what was happening. He stood, looked around at the ceiling, and yelled as loudly as he could, "SORCERESS, I KNOW THIS IS YOU! LEAVE THEM ALONE! DO NOT TORTURE THEM!"

The response was immediate: the twins disappeared.

=)=)=)

Adam and Adora found themselves screaming as the noise in their heads stopped. Immediately, they crawled to each other and wrapped their arms around one another.

"Are you okay?" whispered Adam as he hugged her.

"I think so," answered Adora as she buried her face into his hair. "What happened?"

The Sorceress, whom they quickly realized was in the room, replied, "I think the answer to *that* is obvious."

The twins instantly pulled apart and turned to see the Sorceress staring down at them from her throne. She did not look happy.

"What were you doing?" questioned the Sorceress. She almost seemed angry. "I specifically told you NOT to tell King Randor who you truly are!"

Adam looked to Adora, who huddled hastily to his side. She was clearly wary of the Sorceress since she was a woman his sister had not really dealt with directly. All Adora knew for certain was that the woman had immense power and had always been kind to her until now. Fortunately, he did know the Sorceress and wasn't afraid of her—his sister's uncertainty made him angry and he was not afraid to show it.

Adam stood and yelled in reply, "We were telling our father the truth, a truth he should have learned a long time ago! You have no right to stop us!"

The Sorceress frowned and instantly appeared in front of Adam. "I am the Sorceress of this castle and the keeper of its secrets," she said, calmly; "It gives me every right, so do not yell at me. The truth of who you both are is to remain a secret until I tell you…"

Adam shook his head and interrupted her by shouting, "And, *I* am the defender of the secrets of Castle Grayskull! *I* am the one who protects this castle, *you*, and the entire planet; therefore, I decide who knows my secret!"

"It doesn't work that way, Prince Adam!" the Sorceress said just as loudly before she backed away and closed her eyes. She would not make this worse by also yelling. Bringing her voice to a more acceptable level again, she continued, "You have always trusted me before, and I'm asking you to trust me now. You cannot tell your father your secrets."

Adam turned away from the Sorceress and looked at Adora who was already standing and walking toward him. Immediately, the twins hugged again. They had been so close to telling everyone the truth, so close to erasing the dark cloud that had settled over the palace and the Royal Family. To know that the Sorceress would not let them tell the king anything was devastating.

The Sorceress knew their pain and what they were thinking; she even shed a few tears of her own but persisted, "The knowledge of who you are would devastate him right now. You do not know the chaos and woes you would bring upon him and yourselves if you tell him."

Adam turned back to the Sorceress, prepared to argue with her again, but his words died on his lips. He had never seen her cry before. "Then, what am I supposed to do?" he whispered sadly, his anger finally fading. "This is destroying my life!"

The Sorceress reached out and clutched the prince's arm softly, "You will know happiness again, Prince Adam. Remember, I see glimpses into the future. I can tell you that things may seem hopeless now but they will get better, and one day, your father will know everything…just not today."

Adam wiped his sudden tears from his cheeks and replied, "Why can't it be?"

"He's not ready to hear it, yet."

=)=)=)

King Randor turned to Man-at-Arms immediately after his children disappeared and spat, "I know you can speak with her! Tell her to bring my children back this instant, or so help me, I will bring down a wrath upon her and that castle, the likes of which not even Skeletor has ever seen!"

"Your Majesty!" gasped Duncan; "The Sorceress would never hurt them! If she has taken them, she has her reasons…"

"I DO NOT CARE! She has already hurt them, and she has no right to kidnap them. Today, she has taken many liberties that I do not find acceptable. I will level that castle if need be! Make no mistake!"

Man-at-Arms turned his back on the king and called out mentally, "Sorceress!"

"I hear you, Duncan." she said quickly; "I am speaking with Adora and Adam. Wait a moment."

Duncan stood still for several minutes waiting for the Sorceress to address him again.

"Well?" questioned Randor impatiently, knowing that his man-at-arms was calling out to her mentally.

"She will respond to me soon, Your Highness!" he replied. "Sometimes this takes a little time."

Eventually, the Sorceress spoke to him: "The king is upset."

"Yes, he is," he agreed; "He is threatening to attack Castle Grayskull if you do not send Adam and Adora back now. Do not underestimate his threat right now. I believe he means it."

"I'm sure he does, and I do not blame him. We will be there soon."

=)=)=)

King Randor paced the throne room as he waited for Man-at-Arms to finish his conversation with the Sorceress. He knew they were speaking because Duncan was now standing very still and staring off into space without blinking. It was almost as if he were turned to stone.

After several minutes of waiting, Man-at-Arms finally moved. He turned to the king and announced, "The Sorceress said they would be here soon."

"'They'? Does that mean just Adam and Adora, or does that mean she will be accompanying them?" questioned Queen Marlena who had come down from the throne to stand beside her husband.

"She said 'we,' so I think she's coming, as well," answered Duncan. As soon as those words left Duncan's lips, Adam, Adora, and the Sorceress appeared before them.

Immediately, King Randor gasped, "Adam! Adora!" He ran to them and pulled both siblings into his arms at once, hugging them to him frantically.

Adam and Adora returned their father's hug and found themselves opening their embrace to include their mother, as well. Adam had not felt this close to his family in a very long time and he didn't want to see it end, but he knew that it would as soon as he pulled back slightly and met his father's gaze. The king looked worried but there was also a hint of anger in his eyes. "Are you okay?" questioned Randor.

Adam nodded and replied, "Yes, the Sorceress would never hurt us."

Duncan had said those words earlier and hearing Adam repeat them did not ease the king's turbulent thoughts. "It seems to me that she did earlier," he replied softly. "You and Adora were writhing in pain."

Adam shook his head, but Randor immediately broke the embrace and turned toward the Sorceress. "Why did you accompany them? I should call my guards right now and have you thrown into the dungeon!"

"Father!" shouted Adam to stop the king's words. He was astonished to hear his father threatening the Sorceress. He never heard him threaten anyone aside from Skeletor!

"Stay out of this, Adam," said Randor calmly as he continued to stare contemptuously at the Sorceress.

Adam, Adora, and Marlena joined Duncan and Teela off to the side to watch this confrontation unfold. Each knew something big was going to happen, even though they did not know exactly what.

"Well?" questioned King Randor. He couldn't believe the Sorceress was just standing there. "I think I deserve an explanation. Why did you kidnap my children?"

The Sorceress shook her head and stated firmly, "You know me, King Randor. You know I would never 'kidnap' Adam and Adora. I was merely preventing them from making a huge mistake."

"'A huge mistake'?" repeated the king. He looked briefly at Adam and remembered what was happening prior to his disappearance. Many things were now becoming apparent, and King Randor wondered why he never saw it before.

"You do not want me to know whatever Adam was going to share," he realized aloud. He wondered if she would deny it.

"No, I won't deny it," the Sorceress said, reading his thoughts by his mere expression. "You're right; I don't want Adam to tell you any more than he already has."

The king narrowed his eyes at the Sorceress and then looked at his children again. They seemed incredibly depressed and he knew they wanted to tell him desperately. He glared back at the Sorceress and said,  "Why not? Look at them! They want to! I'm their father. Why should they have to hide anything from me and their mother?"

The Sorceress gave a small smile and replied, "I'll tell you what I told Adam. You're not ready to hear it yet. You will know one day, King Randor, but not before you're able to open your eyes and see what so many others close to you can already see."

"What does that mean?"

"When you figure that out, you'll also know what they're not telling you," she answered.

The king closed his eyes and breathed in deeply. He was trying to remain civil, but he was finding it difficult. He spat, "I do not want to play games, Sorceress."

"Neither do I," she agreed.

Randor opened his eyes, looked back at his children, and stared at them for a long time. "Why won't you allow them to tell me? How long has Adam been keeping this secret from me?" He paused and turned his attention back to the Sorceress. "This deals with that prophecy, doesn't it?"

The Sorceress blinked, slightly surprised at the connections the king was quickly making. Maybe the day he would know wasn't so far away after all!

Randor continued, "Many, even you, prophesized that Adam and Adora would be destined for something great, something aside from ruling Eternos. Truthfully, I thought you were mistaken after Adora had been taken from us, but now, she's back. They can fulfill whatever destiny you and the others thought they would have." He paused. "Or, are they already doing it somehow and that's the big secret?"

The Sorceress merely stared at Randor, so the king looked to his children. "Well? Is someone going to answer me?"

The Sorceress moved to block his view of the twins. Standing there, she nodded and acknowledged, "I will answer you: yes, it deals with the prophecy. That is all I will say and that is all Adam and Adora will say. You will know the rest when you are ready to hear it…when you deserve to hear it."

"'When I deserve to hear it'? By the Ancients, what have I ever done to you?" cried Randor angrily. "Why are you doing this to us?"

The Sorceress did not answer. Instead, she turned into Zoar and flew through the window to go back to Castle Grayskull.

As the sounds of the falcon's cries faded into the distance, King Randor turned back to his children. When his eyes met Adam's, the two only stared at one another. Adam knew his father wanted him to tell him what was going on regardless of what the Sorceress wanted.

The king opened his mouth, prepared to ask Adam to tell him everything anyway, but his mouth immediately shut as he watched Adam shake his head at him slowly. Not knowing who he should be mad at, King Randor immediately stormed out the throne room. He didn't know where he was going, but he had to get away for a little while so he could think.


	23. Attempting a Return to Normalcy

 

Noticing Adam Chapter 23

The king's footsteps echoed down the hall as he stomped away from the throne room, and Prince Adam couldn't help but close his eyes as he imagined how his father was feeling at that very moment. He knew a degree of betrayal was floating around amongst the feelings of despair, anger, and disbelief. He had felt the same way earlier, and if he were honest with himself, he still felt that way, and he didn't know who to blame.

The Sorceress would be an easy target. She was the one who wouldn't allow them to tell his father the truth. But if what she said was true, the king wouldn't be able to handle it right now, and she had never lied to him before, so why would she start now? Of course, he could also blame his mother. He thought he had put her involvement in all of this chaos behind him, but as he struggled to make sense of everything and find where the root of the problem lay, he kept going back to the fact that his father would still be blissfully ignorant of the things taking place around him if she hadn't pointed it out to him. But he didn't want to be mad at her—he understood her actions, even if he didn't agree with them. And, that only left one person for him to be angry at: himself. He knew long ago when he had first received the Power Sword that keeping his identity a secret would not be an easy task. He knew long ago that he would have to separate himself from He-Man, but he couldn't help but wonder now if he had gone about it the wrong way. He knew he had made things harder on himself by choosing to be the laughing stock of the kingdom. He had known it would disappoint his father, but truthfully, he hadn't realized how long the façade would last. He had foolishly believed Skeletor would be defeated quickly and had not anticipated his ruse to last for years. Because of that error in judgment, they were here.

Adam sighed as he looked to his mother and whispered, "A fine mess I've made of things."

"You didn't do this, Adam," she whispered back.

"Didn't I?" he questioned, miserably. "Mother, I'm the cause of all of this. No matter how you spin it, it was my decisions—past and present—which have brought us here. You cannot deny that."

Before the queen could reply, Man-at-Arms stepped forward and replied, "But you didn't do this alone. We have all contributed to the situation. I should have made you come up with a better cover story. I saw the flaws in your plan, but I said nothing. I thought we could handle the problems has they arose, and now, I find that it's nearly impossible. I did that, my prince. Not you."

Adam started to dispute Duncan's claim when Marlena added, "And, you know my hand in all of this. If it wasn't for me, your father would still be oblivious to everything. I should have helped you maintain your secret instead of forcing your hand. I caused this."

Adam shook his head. "If I hadn't been so hot-tempered recently…"

Man-at-Arms interrupted, "If you hadn't been, I'm afraid we would be dealing with a worse situation. Keeping your emotions bottled up isn't good and it certainly wouldn't have helped."

Adam turned to face the door his father had left open while leaving and whispered, "But it didn't do us any good either." All Adam knew was that he needed to fix this and fix it now before his family was torn apart. No matter what the consequences were, he had to get things back to the way they were. It would be difficult, but it could be done. He refused to believe differently.

=)=)=)

King Randor stood in the RoyalMuseum and stared up at the Rainbow Explorer. The Ancients truly blessed the day the vessel had crashed onto Eternia. It gave him a wife strong enough to stand by his side through all the hard times and two wonderful children. He only wished he had recognized his less than stellar performance as a father before now. The Sorceress said he would know what was going on with his children when he deserved to know. He had been angry at the time, but now that he was alone, he realized that the Sorceress was right—he didn't deserve to know.

He thought about the last couple of days alone. He had been wretched to Adam. He called the boy a liar more than once, accused him of vile acts, had driven him from the planet to seek refuge with his sister, and had even restrained him from helping someone in need. At least Castle Grayskull hadn't fallen into the hands of Skeletor. If that had occurred, he knew Adam would never have forgiven him. That was one thing he could thank the Ancients for this day.

The king sighed as he then mulled over his treatment of Adam over the last several years. It was more of the same: he ridiculed his son in front of Man-at-Arms and Teela constantly, told everyone he wished Adam was more of a prince, and had once even told Adam not to "behave like a clown" when he had been entertaining a couple of ladies from court in his spare time…those were just a few incidents of hundreds.

Yes, it was obvious what the Sorceress meant. He didn't deserve to know what was going on in Adam's life, because all he had contributed to it as of late was ridicule, reprimands, and indifference. The latter had changed only over the course of the last few days. That surely wasn't enough to even begin to ask for forgiveness from his son.

Randor stared up at the Rainbow Explorer one more time and knew what he had to do. There wasn't anything he could do about the past, but he could affect the future, and he would, starting tonight.

=)=)=)

Adam's stomach growled as he walked to his sister's bedroom an hour later and knocked on the door softly. He and his sister would be attending dinner soon, and they had already decided they were going to try to get things back to the status quo. He was going to act like his usual irresponsible and happy-go-lucky self, and Adora was going to act like everything was perfectly fine. Hopefully, it would inspire the others to follow suit. It was as good a plan as any, and he realized he might as well start now to get his mask back into place.

"Come in," he heard Adora call.

Adam opened the door to see his sister step out of the lavatory in a red flowing dress which was similar to the green one their mother always wore, except Adora's had a thick golden belt fastened around her waist instead of her hips.

"What do you think?" she asked, twirling around in the dress in a childlike manner. Obviously, his sister wanted to practice before their big performance, as well.

Adam laughed as he reached out to grab onto his sister's shoulders, so she wouldn't crash into him. "Very nice," he answered. "What's the occasion?"

Adora shrugged. "I figured I'd dress nicely for dinner. I noticed Mother and Father have this room filled with clothes for me and I've never worn any of them, not even once."

"I wouldn't let that bother you. If you haven't noticed, we do have our customary garbs around here," said Adam with a smile; "Mother always wears her green dress, Father always wears his blue and red robes, and I always wear this. I'm sure they haven't given your wardrobe a second thought. My closet is filled with different ensembles too, but the only time I bother with them is when we're having a ball or some other frivolous social event."

"And, I bet the maids just love that everyone does that, washing the same clothes every single day!" she replied with a grin of her own.

Adam's smile grew mischievously. "Nope, we have more than one pair," he whispered conspiratorially.

Adora busted out laughing at the look her brother had given her. He wiggled his eyebrows at her and held his finger over his mouth like he had shared a secret that could not be uttered again.

"Well, I suppose I need to get more of my regular outfit custom made," she said. "I do happen to wash mine every night on Etheria."

Adam wrapped his arm around his sister's waist as he led her out of her bedchambers. "Ah, the plights of a poor princess living in the woods. No multitude of fashionable clothes to woo the common suitor."

Adora's jaw dropped and she screeched, "Adam!"

Her brother laughed and skipped ahead before she could slap him lightly. He turned around and walked backwards so he could make sure she wouldn't sneak up on him.

Immediately killing the mood, Adora dropped the act for a few moments and asked, "Adam, do you honestly think this is going to work?"

Her brother quickly came to a stop. He knew his sister was referring to their plan. No longer smiling, he replied, "I just want to make a special effort for everyone to get along tonight. I don't know if Father is going to show up after everything that's happened, but…I want the atmosphere light. I don't think I could bear a silent dinner because no one knew how to address one another."

"So, we're going to go in there like nothing's wrong and just lie about everything," stated Adora, stopping in front of her brother. She wasn't sure if this was a good plan or not. As Man-at-Arms had stated earlier, it wasn't good for her brother to keep his emotions buried like they were now attempting to do.

"No, that's not my plan," insisted Adam; "I am genuinely pleased that my sister is home and you know that I do love to give her a hard time. I have lots of time to make up for, so I choose to focus on that right now instead of everything else that has taken precedence around here lately."

Adora shrugged, deciding to give in to her brother's wishes. It wasn't too hard, anyway. She smiled and replied, "Well, if that's what you want, then I suppose you won't mind if I dish out a little payback!"

"Payback for what?" asked Adam, widening his eyes in mock fear.

"Oh, I don't know…that wise crack earlier about my wardrobe for starters!" Suddenly, Adora sprinted at her brother, and Adam immediately gasped and took off running down the hall.

He was almost to the dinner hall when he turned around to see how close Adora was to him when he heard his sister yell, "Adam!"

Before Adora could even finish yelling her brother's name, Adam and their father had collided and were falling to the floor. The king had obviously stepped out of the dinner hall into the corridor because he had heard the commotion they were causing and came to investigate.

=)=)=)

King Randor landed on his butt and grimaced as Adam fell on top of him. "Surely, son," he said as he tried to catch his breath, "we can stop making a habit out of greeting the floor every time we see one another! I don't think my body can take much more."

Adam immediately sprung to his feet and offered his father his hand to pull him back to his feet. Once this was done, Adam stammered, "Uh, ah, yeah, umm…"

Knowing this reaction from times past, Randor lifted his hands and replied calmly, "No need for explanations. I'm sure you and your sister were having a good time and I happened to get in the way. That's all."

To say that Adam was shocked was an understatement. All he could now mutter was a soft "yeah" as he watched his father smile at him as he walked back into the dinner hall.

"What's wrong?" asked Adora once they were alone.

"Usually when things like this happen, Father gets onto me for being so clumsy or behaving like a court jester. He surely doesn't offer excuses for me like he just did," he explained.

Adora stood beside her brother and replied, "So this was a good thing? You did something 'wrong' and he didn't blow up."

Adam shrugged and said, "I guess. Well, let's get in there and see how the rest of the night goes."

=)=)=)

A cackling laugh resounded through SnakeMountain as Skeletor stared at his warriors around the council table.

"We've done it, Skeletor!" exclaimed Evil-Lyn enthusiastically. "Our plan worked! He-Man didn't show up for battle today—we have beaten him!"

Skeletor immediately stood up from his seat and took his Havoc Staff in hand. "You mean, * **my** * plan worked," he corrected hostilely.

Beastman smiled and said, "Argh, so what are we waiting for? Let's go back to Castle Grayskull and actually try to take it over this time!"

Beastman immediately yelled out in pain as Skeletor popped him with a small energy blast.

"Not yet, fur-face! We still have that muscle-headed She-Man to deal with," replied Skeletor.

"Uh, so what's the plan?" asked Beastman as he rubbed his arm gingerly. After all these years of getting stunned by Skeletor, he still hadn't gotten used to the sensation.

Skeletor rubbed his chin with his fingers lightly as he thought about the possibilities. Several had been forming in his mind for months, but he knew he needed to choose wisely. It had to be something that would bring She-Ra out into the open and big enough to entice He-Man to come out, as well. He wasn't going to leave He-Man out of the equation until he knew for certain that the muscle-bound buffoon was out of the picture for good.

"What would bring out both He-Man and She-Ra?" he asked himself softly.

Beastman looked over at Trap Jaw who shrugged as they watched their master contemplate their current dilemma.

"That's it!" Skeletor suddenly cried. "The answer is so obvious!" He started laughing menacingly.

"What is it, Skeletor? Don't leave us guessing!" snapped Evil-Lyn.

Skeletor continued to laugh as he sat back down and eventually replied, "Instead of another attack on Castle Grayskull, let's try a new tactic with say…Prince Adam."

Beastman and Trap Jaw snapped their heads up in shock. "Uh, why would Prince Adam help us?" asked Beastman. Again, he was hit with another energy bolt that made him cry out in pain.

"What I mean, dolt, is that we capture Prince Adam! Taking a member of the Royal Family has never failed to catch He-Man's attention. I'm sure She-Ra will be no different since she is now helping him."

"Okay, so we capture Prince Adam," repeated Evil-Lyn. "But then what?"

"A stupid question," answered Skeletor; "In a combined effort, we will all attack He-Man and She-Ra when they come to rescue to the prince." Skeletor rose from his seat excitedly. Sometimes his evil genius amazed even him. "Quickly, gather everyone you can find: Mer-Man, Tri-Klops, Whiplash, Clawful, Kobra Khan, Jitsu, Webstor, Two-Bad, Stinkor, Spikor, and Ninjor at the very least. He-Man and She-Ra will not expect to see all of us guarding the prince!"

As everyone else stood from the table, Beastman couldn't resist one last question: "Uh, but how are we going to get the prince?"

Skeletor refrained from shooting him this time. After all, he had to hurry to prepare the accommodations for their guest, so he merely replied while walking away, "Why, we're going to walk right into the palace and take him!"

Skeletor's laugh was heard throughout SnakeMountain again, but soon laughter from the others joined in, as well.

=)=)=)

Adam sat at the dinner table and smiled as his Father relayed to Adora one of his more embarrassing childhood moments:

"So, there was Adam, dashing around the courtyard naked!" exclaimed Randor with a laugh. "Your mother was mortified!"

Adora laughed heartily and said cheerfully, "Oh, Adam! It sounds like you were such a handful!"

Adam rolled his eyes playfully and reminded everyone, "Well, you do realize I was five! I barely remember the incident, and I bet the only reason I do is because Father eventually caught me and turned me upside down while he gave his final speech to the banquet!"

Adora gasped, "You did?"

Randor grinned and nodded fondly as he thought back to the past, "Yes, I did."

Marlena glared at her husband and added, "And, to this day, I think your father did it more to rattle me than to play with Adam! He knew I was still uncomfortable around all those diplomats and he had made a habit out of teasing me."

When both twins looked at Randor, he shook his head and replied with a smile, "I don't know what she's talking about!"

At that moment, the kitchen staff came out with a cart of desserts which was rolled to the king. "I thought you might like a selection this afternoon, Your Excellency," said Chef Alan as his help cleared the table to make room for the next course.

"It looks wonderful," replied Marlena. "Which do you want, Adora?"

As the kitchen staff cleared out of the room and everyone claimed their dessert, Randor cleared his throat to gather everyone's attention and stood. Everyone grew quiet, because they knew the king was about to say something he considered important.

=)=)=)

King Randor smiled reassuringly at his family. He knew his actions had put them a little on edge, but he knew he had to say this or it would drive him crazy otherwise. "I know we have had a wonderful dinner, and I don't doubt that plenty of effort went into that from everyone present."

Adam frowned as he heard his father's words. He had hoped they could avoid mentioning everything that had happened since the evening was going so well. Leave it to his father to make that impossible.

"I just want everyone to know—especially you, Adam—that I won't pressure you into telling me what was on your mind earlier. I have come to realize that the Sorceress is right. I have to deserve the right to hear what you have to say. My only hope is that I can amend all the wrongs I have done sooner rather than later."

Despite Adam's misgivings about having this discussion, he couldn't allow his father to continue this line of talk. "I don't think she's right," he whispered loudly enough for everyone to hear. "You do deserve to know, but I can't say anything, because…" He trailed off. Should he even rehash why he couldn't again? They knew why.

Instead of replying, Randor walked away from his seat, went to Adam's side of the table, and sat beside him in an empty seat. "Truthfully, I'm glad the Sorceress stopped you," he admitted.

"What?" gasped Adora, Adam, and Marlena.

Randor nodded with a small smile. "I know. Who would have thought I would say that?"

As Adora and Adam stared at each other disbelievingly, Randor continued, "I realize now that it would have had a harsher effect on our relationship than we realized earlier."

Adam looked back at his father questioningly. "How so?"

Randor shrugged. "It's simple, really. You were telling me this secret, because you thought it would solve our recent problems, correct?"

Adam nodded.

Randor smiled and continued, "You see, that's the problem. If you had told me your secret, I fear you would have come to resent me."

Adam wrinkled his face as he tried to understand his father's logic, but he wasn't following.

"Adam, knowing your secret might have temporarily solved our problems, but I think eventually you would have come to realize that my treatment of you for the last several years was still inexcusable regardless of whatever your secret might be. The fact is that I've treated you poorly for multiple reasons. Not all are related to your secret, I'm sure. You know this to be true." Randor turned his chair to face Adam completely. "I know saying 'I'm sorry' is not enough to fix everything that has gone wrong between you and me, but I want you to know that I am going to be more reasonable. I'm going to listen and be more objective. I want to be the father that I used to be when you were a boy, and I'm sorry that I somehow let that part of myself slip away. I will get him back…I will get you back."

Adam felt tears rush to his eyes at his father's words. He could tell the king sincerely meant them, even though Adam didn't agree with his father's assessment of himself being a horrible father. Regardless, for the first time in a long time, he finally felt like everything just might turn out all right.

=)=)=)

Teela patrolled the halls as she thought about the day's revelations. Adam had a secret, a secret that required him to hide who he truly was. Even without knowing the secret, just knowing that he had one that made him act the way he did answered almost every question she ever had.

For several years, Teela wondered what had happened to Adam. When he was younger and well into his teenage years, Adam had been the ideal prince: his nose had been stuck in numerous books about law and legislation, he had taken an interest in all the kingdom affairs, and he had even taken the time to train with her and the guard when he had a spare moment. It was only after he turned eighteen that all of that changed, and she never knew why or saw a reason for it.

Now, she knew, even though she couldn't see it, there was a reason, and if all of this chaos was any indication, it was a big one.

Teela thought about all the negative words she had said about and to Adam over the years. She felt horrible, and she knew the king had to be feeling the same way! She had been just as cruel as his father, sometimes crueler! "Oh, Adam, I'm so sorry!" she thought to herself as she made the last turn on her assigned patrol area.

Seeing that nothing was amiss, Teela yawned and said aloud, "Everything is fine. I'm going to bed."

As Teela turned around to head to her bedchambers, she heard a slithery voice say, "Too bad you didn't go earlier, ssssss!" Before Teela knew what was happening, the room was filled with tawny gases that made her fall to the ground in a deep sleep.

=)=)=)

Adam stretched as he stepped out of his closet into the main part of his bedroom and smiled as he saw Cringer curled up on his bed. "You know better than that," he said as he crossed the room to pick up the Power Sword which was resting beside the great tiger.

"I—I know better than what?" repeated Cringer tiredly.

Adam shook a finger at the feline and replied, "You know perfectly well what." He paused in his lecture to place his sword in the compartment behind the bookshelf. When he turned back to his pet, he continued, "I get the bed; you get the floor."

"Oh, c-come on, Adam! The floor is cold tonight and it's scary outside!" complained Cringer.

Adam sighed, and Cringer snuggled into the covers. He knew Adam would give in. He always did when he gave that argument.

Cringer purred contentedly as Adam settled into the bed beside him. "Good night, Cringer," said Adam softly.

"Good night, Adam."

Just as the prince turned off his lamp and he had settled down for the night, the palace's alarms went off. "What on Eternia?" cried Adam as he turned back on the lights and ran to open the door. Numerous guards were running down the corridor towards the main hall. "What's going on?" he called out.

One of the guards replied, "Someone has broken into the palace and triggered the throne room alarm!"

Adam quickly slipped back into his room, looked at the bed, and said, "Come on, Cringer, we have work to do."

"C-can't I keep your bed warm?" grumbled Cringer as Adam went back into his closet to change his clothes.

=)=)=)

Skeletor and Kobra Khan walked quickly down the corridor which led to Prince Adam's bedchamber. Beastman and Trap Jaw were currently in the throne room causing a distraction, so they could make an easy getaway with the prince.

They stood outside the door and Skeletor whispered, "The coward will undoubtedly be trembling under the bedsheets. Go in there and use your sleep gas on the fool. I will stand watch here."

"Yessssss, Sssskeletor."

Kobra Khan walked cautiously into the bedroom and saw the outline of a trembling figure on the bed. Just as Skeletor had suspected, he was hiding under a pile of blankets. He crept over to the bed and quickly snatched the covers away from the figure. Before Kobra Khan could use his sleep gas, the tiger sprang out of bed and landed across the room. "ADAM!" yelled Cringer.

Dressed and alarmed to hear Cringer's scream, Adam raced back into the room. "Hey, why don't you pick on someone your own size!" called Adam when he saw that Kobra Khan was in his room and had Cringer cornered.

The snakeman immediately turned to Adam and replied, "Withhhhhh a-pleassssurrrre." He ran towards Adam, but the prince was ready for him and used the reptile's momentum to his advantage. He flipped the villain and threw him across the room just as Teela had shown him many times.

"Adam!" cried Cringer. "Let's get outta here!"

"Not without my sword!" said Adam as he ran to the bookcase, but before he could even touch the book which would reveal the Power Sword to him, Skeletor walked into the room and blasted the prince with an energy bolt from his Havoc Staff.

Cringer immediately ran under Skeletor's feet screaming, "Help! Somebody help!"

"Blast that cat!" cried Skeletor. He quickly ran to the prince, picked him up, and tossed him over his shoulder. "Whiplash, bring the Collector. We're ready to go!" he said into his communicator.

Just as Skeletor was crossing the room, Kobra Khan got up and followed Skeletor into the hall.

"STOP!" they suddenly heard to their right. Man-at-Arms was shooting a freeze-ray at them and they noticed in the distance that She-Ra and that troublesome cat were running toward them.

Skeletor laughed and yelled, "Too late, Man-at-Arms, but you can tell He-Man and She-Ra that if they want to see the prince again, they will hand over Castle Grayskull to me. And as for King Randor, tell him he'll be hearing from me soon!"

An unexpected boom was heard throughout the palace and Skeletor laughed again as he ran towards the sound. The Collector was there, having blasted a sizeable hole into the palace wall and waiting for Skeletor and Kobra Khan to board. As soon as the two entered the craft, Skeletor handed the unconscious Prince Adam to Trap Jaw and Beastman who had already managed to get inside ahead of them. When the doors closed and blocked any further actions from Man-at-Arm's eyes, the craft flew away at a high rate of speed.

"Adam! If only I had Swiftwind," cried She-Ra in dismay as she reached Man-at-Arms and watched the Collector fly off with her brother.

As She-Ra turned around to race to one of the palace's aircrafts on the ground floor, she was stopped by the sight of her father rushing down the hall.

"She-Ra! Man-at-Arms! What happened? Did they get away?" asked Randor.

She-Ra and Man-at-Arms looked at each other before Duncan replied, "Yes, your Majesty, they got away." The soldier placed his hand on the king's shoulder and sorrowfully added, "With Prince Adam."


	24. Adam's Plan

Noticing Adam Chapter 24

King Randor blanched as Man-at-Arms' words registered. "Adam?" he questioned. Feeling suddenly overwhelmed, the king flailed his arms out to reach something to support him, but when he found nothing, he backed up to wall and slowly slid to the floor.

"Your Majesty!" said Duncan alarmed, as he rushed to the king's side and knelt beside him.

Randor looked at his friend and whispered, "I just got him back."

Man-at-Arms looked questioningly at She-Ra who shrugged unsurely.

"We got along so well at dinner and actually talked. I can't…I can't lose him, Duncan. Please."

To hear the king's words and his final plea for help broke Man-at-Arm's heart. "We'll get him back, Your Majesty. I have no doubt."

The king nodded and breathed deeply. He then forced himself to rise and said, "Assemble my…" He quickly looked around. "Where's Adora?"

"She's safe," replied She-Ra, who knew this would pacify him. He-Man used it all the time.

King Randor shook his head. "No, where is she? I need to see her. I need to make sure she's here and Skeletor hasn't taken her, too. I need to see for myself."

He started to walk hurriedly down the hall, but She-Ra rushed in front of him and said, "I'll go get her. You stay with Man-at-Arms and try to figure out what we're going to do."

She-Ra ran down the hall quickly and went back inside her bedchambers to turn back into Adora.

=)=)=)

King Randor turned back to Man-at-Arms as She-Ra rushed to get his daughter. The look of worry faded from the monarch's face to be replaced by a look of anger. Beginning his earlier sentence again, he ordered, "Assemble my soldiers! We need to be at Snake Mountain by morning!"

Duncan frowned and replied, "Randor, you need to think clearly. Like always, you know a smaller group has a better chance of getting Adam out. Besides, if Skeletor fears for his home when he sees all your soldiers coming, we don't know what he would do, and he has Adam. Surely…"

"Adam is his bargaining chip," interrupted King Randor; "He wouldn't harm him in fear that we would kill him."

"Everyone knows you are a compassionate king and you always try to avoid casualties. I believe Skeletor won't see that threat. Do you really want a stand off with Adam in the middle? Do you want to take that chance?"

Randor paused. "No, I don't," he replied, but then suddenly yelled, "But by the Ancients, Duncan! Skeletor has attacked Castle Grayskull twice that I know of, the palace, and now kidnapped Adam within a very short period of time! His actions are becoming more frequent and worse in their severity! We cannot allow him to get away with this! I want Adam back, but I want more than that this time. I want to break Skeletor's resolve and send a message that if he ever messes with my family again…I swear if he harms a hair on my son's head, he will come to fear me more than he does He-Man. I promise you that."

"Father!" a voice interrupted.

Randor immediately turned around to see Adora running toward him. He quickly gathered his child in his arms and said, "Praise the Ancients, you're all right!"

"Yes," she cried, "but Adam!"

The king pulled back from the embrace and reassured her as he gazed into her eyes, "We're going to get your brother back. I will not rest until he is safe and home. I promise you, Adora, Skeletor will pay for his actions."

"I just want to get Adam back," she replied. "I don't care about punishing Skeletor right now."

Man-at-Arms walked beside them and said, "With your permission, I would like to assemble a small group for the rescue mission."

The king nodded. "Yes, you, Teela…"

Duncan sighed sadly. "Your Majesty, I'm afraid Teela is unavailable. Kobra Khan was involved in this and he knocked her out with his sleeping gas. She'll be out for hours. Let me worry about who is going. You should see to the queen."

Randor immediately looked to Adora and said calmly, "Go to your mother. I want you two to stay together until I return. I'm going with Man-at-Arms to rescue Adam."

"But Father!"

"Your Majesty!"

He shook his head at both of them. "He is my son and I want him back. I cannot stay here and wait. I have to do something. I have to get him back."

"I understand how you feel, but you can't come," beseeched Duncan; "You are the king and Adam is your heir. We cannot lose you both if things don't turn out as we plan."

The king squeezed his eyes and hissed, "The kingdom has Marlena, Adora, and even my father, if something happens, but it won't come down to that! We are going to rescue Adam! If something happens to me, then Adam will take over!"

"Your Majesty, Adam is still a boy really, barely twenty. Do you really want him to go through what you did when King Miro disappeared? And, in this case, Adam won't get you back years later. He won't even have the hope that you somehow survived. You know that helped you cope during your transition to power."

"And, Adam will blame himself," added Adora in a near whisper.

Randor immediately turned his attention to his daughter.

"I know we weren't raised together, Father, but as I was growing up, I always felt like there was a piece of myself missing. Sometimes that…hole would ache and sometimes it would make me feel happy even though that missing feeling never went away." She paused to stare her father directly in the eyes. "But I finally understood it when I met Adam, when he took me away from the Horde. I knew he was the missing part of myself and I realized that those strange feelings were from him. We feel each other, Father. I cannot tell you how many times I have wished he was on Etheria to help me or talk to me, and it wasn't long before he'd show up to save the day like the prince that he is." She laughed a little at the irony. "I know that Adam would blame himself if something happened to you because of this. You don't want to make him live with that regret, do you, Father?"

Randor immediately hugged his daughter to him and held her tightly. When he finally pulled away he answered, "No, I don't want to do that to him." He looked to Man-at-Arms and said, "Assemble your group, but I want progress reports along the way. I want to know what is happening every chance you get."

"Yes, Your Majesty," appeased Man-at-Arms.

The king looked back to his daughter and stared at her intently. "And, what do you feel now, Adora? Is Adam okay?"

Adora bit her lip softly as she concentrated. A fearful look came across her features and said, "I don't know. He hasn't reached out to me. I think he's unconscious."

Man-at-Arms nodded as he rested a hand on her shoulder. "He is," he assured them. "Skeletor was carrying him as they got into the Collector. He must have knocked him out somehow as they were taking him."

=)=)=)

Adam groaned as he tried to open his eyes. He thought he felt Adora's presence, but now that he had opened his eyes, he could see he was on a hard stone floor with no one around. He tried to sit up to get a better look at his surroundings but immediately laid his head back down. He felt queasy and slightly off balance. What happened?...

Something slammed into him from behind while he was trying to get to the Power Sword, he remembered. The room lit up with a bright white light before he felt pain. It must have been Evil-Lyn or Skeletor with an energy bolt.

Taking a deep breath, Adam closed his eyes tightly to try to control his body's reaction to his actions as he pulled himself up into a sitting position. He quickly braced his back on the wall behind him and opened his eyes. He felt sick and lightheaded, so he quickly closed them again.

Just as Adam thought he might fall asleep, he heard a voice say, "It looks like he's awake, Skeletor." He opened his eyes to see Tung Lashor's tongue waving in front of his face with its owner several feet away.

He groaned again as he tried to stop himself from throwing up. Despite the effort it took, he wanted to see what was happening now that he knew others were around.

A large door creaked open and Skeletor walked inside. "Very good, Tung Lashor," said Skeletor with an evil laugh. "Now, go and help Whiplash with the preparations while I ask our guest about his accommodations."

Tung Lashor left the room, and Skeletor stood before the prince laughing softly again. When the laughter finally quieted, Skeletor addressed him whimsically, "Prince Adam."

Adam didn't answer. He merely watched as Skeletor walked closer.

"I trust that you are finding your stay at Snake Mountain everything you thought it would be," joked Skeletor evilly.

The prince breathed in deeply and gasped out, "You're right about that."

Skeletor laughed again and the door suddenly widened. More people started flooding the room.

Adam widened his eyes in shock. The room was filling up with Skeletor's men! He had never seen so many at one time. They didn't all stay in Snake Mountain, so what was going on?

Skeletor watched the prince's eyes as they widened and looked around the room. He couldn't help but chuckle in amusement. Skeletor looked around and saw the multitude. It was a bigger turnout than he had originally hoped : Trap Jaw, Evil-Lyn, Beastman, Tri-Klops, Whiplash, Clawful, Kobra Khan, Jitsu, Two-Bad, Spikor, Webstor, Stinkor, Ninjor, Tung Lashor, and Modulak—when did he get back? No matter.

Evil-Lyn stepped in front of the throng of evildoers and said, "We're all here, Skeletor."

Skeletor laughed again and replied, "Today we are going to defeat He-Man and She-Ra. Soon, they will be coming for my prisoner, Prince Adam." He stepped to the side to let everyone see the fallen prince. "The surprise of our numbers and our working together will surely defeat them. Then, there will be nothing to stop me from taking the Royal Palace and Castle Grayskull."

At Skeletor's final laugh after his words, Adam cringed. Skeletor had better odds than he realized. He-Man would not be showing up. His eyes suddenly widened. That meant it would be She-Ra alone with probably only Man-at-Arms and Teela! They would be defeated easily and there was no way to warn them!

Adam closed his eyes as he wracked his brain for any idea to get his sister and friends out of the impossible situation. He didn't know what he was going to say, but he had to do something and quickly: "Skeletor!" Prince Adam called out, trying to get his attention.

When Skeletor turned to the prince, Adam asked, "Why are you bothering with He-Man and She-Ra? You have someone much more valuable to get you everything you want. You do not need to meddle with them right now. You know as well as I do that they will defeat you and your men easily. If you think otherwise, you're fooling yourself."

Evil-Lyn rushed forward and said, "Why, the sniveling coward is trying to intimidate you, Skeletor. Why don't we show him what we can do?"

"Not now, Evil-Lyn," replied Skeletor. He walked to Prince Adam and kneeled beside him. "I'm listening, Prince Adam. You're offering something. What can you give me that I would want?"

Adam swallowed. He had no idea what to say, but he knew it had to be good. "Me," he answered finally after a long pause.

All the villains began laughing.

"Do not underestimate my offer," snapped Adam.

"My, my," said Skeletor laughingly, "we wouldn't dream of doing so, but why would I want you aside from my current reasons?"

Adam swallowed roughly. He now had an idea, but he had to make it believable. "Because no one would ever see it coming," he said calmly. He forced himself to smile. "No one would suspect or have a clue."

Trap Jaw stepped forward and asked, "Hey, what's he talking about?"

Adam drew in a deep breath and laughed. "Have you really not heard?" he asked, grabbing the wall and using it to stand up.

When he saw Skeletor look back at his minions questioningly, he continued, "King Randor and I are, let's just say, not fond of one another right now."

Skeletor stood as Adam did; he saw where this was going. "Do you expect me to believe that you would betray your father and let me take control of the Royal Palace and then Castle Grayskull?"

"No," answered Adam, "I want you to believe that I would betray my father and take control of the Royal Palace for myself. The people of Eternia are more likely to follow me than you. I will tell the people that my family fell victim to one of your attacks but that I had escaped. I will ascend to the throne. No one would ever know you were the one pulling the strings. I would owe you, so I would be at your disposal always."

Skeletor walked away and said, "Very interesting."

Evil-Lyn screamed, "You don't actually believe him, do you, Skeletor?"

Skeletor looked back at the prince and said, "No, I don't…but it doesn't hurt to check his story, either. Evil-Lyn, I want you to go to the palace in disguise and ask people about their recent interactions."

"And, what about He-Man and She-Ra?" she snapped. "They are surely on their way now."

Adam breathed deeply to try to steady himself, stepped forward, and replied, "We won't be here. We will move to another location until my words are confirmed. This is a much better plan than taking on He-Man and She-Ra, is it not? This way you will have the Royal Guard at your disposal to help defeat them. Not to mention, my betrayal might drive the…do-gooders…away or shock them enough that we can actually capture them. The possibilities are endless. Agreed?"

Skeletor stepped in front of Prince Adam, nodded at Beastman quickly, and said, "Agreed." As he walked out the door, Beastman stepped forward to grab Adam. "Right this way, Your Majesty," he said laughingly, but Adam shrugged his hands off of him forcefully and followed Skeletor boastfully even though he was surrounded by Skeletor's allies.

=)=)=)

Teela opened her eyes and smiled. Orko was floating above her and as soon as their eyes met, he yelled, "TEELA!" They immediately hugged and afterward, Teela raised a hand to her head at the spot where it hit the floor as she fell asleep.

"Are you okay?" asked Orko fretfully.

"Of course," she replied. "So, did Father manage to stop Kobra Khan and figure out what he wanted?"

At that moment, her bedroom door opened and Man-at-Arms walked in. The little Trollan floated to him quickly and exclaimed, "She just woke up! I was going to come to get you, honest I was!"

"It's okay, Orko, I know," he said as he sat down on the side of his daughter's bed. "How are you feeling?" he asked her.

Teela scooted up to rest against the pillows and the headboard of her bed. "I'm fine aside from a headache. So, maybe you can answer what I just asked Orko."

"What's that?"

"Did you figure out what Kobra Khan wanted? Why did he break into the palace?"

Man-at-Arms nodded. "Yes, we know what he wanted: he wanted Prince Adam."

Teela gasped. "What?"

She quickly looked around the room. There was no sign of him. Usually when she got hurt during battles in the past, he wasn't very far away while she was recovering.

"Where is he, Father?"

"Teela…" he said to try to calm her down.

"WHERE IS HE?"

Man-at-Arms stood up and turned away from her before replying, "We don't know."

"You don't know?" she shrieked.

"It's not his fault, Teela," assured Orko. "We went to Snake Mountain to get Prince Adam back, but no one was there. Snake Mountain was abandoned with no trace as to where they might be."

"And, what's even stranger," added Duncan, "is that Skeletor hasn't contacted King Randor like he said he would as he was leaving the palace."

Teela frowned as her father's words ceased. There had to be more news than that. "What do you think that means, Father?"

Man-at-Arms shook his head. "I have no idea, Teela. We know Adam is still alive; he has to be, but this waiting around…"

Teela immediately sprung out of bed and said, "Well, we shouldn't be waiting around! We need to be out there looking for Adam!"

"Where would we possibly look? Teela, I have no idea where to start! We've looked everywhere imaginable. No matter how much we hate it, the best course of action is to wait until we hear from Skeletor."

Teela refused to hear that. She shook her head and stormed out of the room. She would find Adam all by herself if she had to.

=)=)=)

Queen Marlena buried her face into King Randor's chest as sobs shook her body. "Is our family destined to never be together?" she cried.

Randor hugged her tighter and looked over at Adora who was petting Cringer. She also had tears in her eyes. "No, I refuse to believe that. We'll get him back, Marlena." He pulled back and bent so he could catch her eyes. "We'll get him back," he repeated.

Marlena let out another strangled sob she had been trying to hold in, and he hugged her to him again. Randor looked to Adora and held his hand out. The princess immediately stood and walked over to them. He pulled her to his side so he could hold her, as well. He knew they all needed this right now. Adora instantly buried her face in his neck and cried softly. He wouldn't have even known she was crying if he hadn't felt her tears on his skin.

=)=)=)

Skeletor showed Adam his family and their pathetic cries at his loss with the monitor in his throne room. They were back at Snake Mountain after a quick trip to the Swamps of Enchantment to hideout while Man-at-Arms' rescue party had searched for the prince.

Adam stared at the glowing orb in the center of the table and felt a little overwhelmed himself, especially when his father pulled Adora to him. He was glad they were there for each other.

"It doesn't look like King Randor holds any animosity towards you," said Skeletor.

"Appearances are deceiving," replied Adam. "He has to act this way for my mother's benefit. Wait for Evil-Lyn's report. That will reveal the truth." Adam could only hope Evil-Lyn didn't ask any of the kitchen staff who might have overheard their attempts at getting along at dinner. The probability was in his favor…he hoped.

At that moment, Evil-Lyn walked in. She rushed to Skeletor exclaiming, "He's telling the truth, Skeletor! I questioned maids and guards. Everyone agrees they have been fighting and many have been wondering if they will be able to patch things up! Some think even this kidnapping won't be the catalyst to make them! And, a few even think the king will blame the prince since he wasn't able to prevent his own capture."

Skeletor looked at Adam and started laughing, "Won't they be surprised!"

Adam blinked tears from his eyes and then stared up at Skeletor. "Exactly," he added and forced himself to laugh, as well. "Like I said, they'll never suspect a thing."

"So, what's the plan?" asked Evil-Lyn.

Adam paused to think for several seconds, finally snapped his fingers, and said, "It's easy. Skeletor, you haven't contacted my father, yet, have you?"

"No, I haven't," he confirmed.

"I think it's time you put in a personal appearance to the throne room. Make your demands. I won't be there, of course, because the king will immediately attack you otherwise to free me. This way they will question you about my whereabouts and then we will make our attack."

"Where will you be?" asked Evil-Lyn.

Prince Adam smiled and said, "My bedchambers. It's not far from the throne room as you know and no one would go in there since they know I'm missing. I will stay there until you send for me.

"And, what is to stop you from running or warning everyone?" questioned Skeletor suspiciously.

"You still don't trust me?" inquired Adam.

"I trust no one completely," stated Skeletor firmly.

With a sigh, Adam said, "Beastman can be with me. That way, you know I won't run away or warn anyone. Then, when you send for me, he can bring me into the throne room. He can make it look like I'm being restrained. When you release me for whatever agreement you and my father have, I will rush up to the throne to seemingly greet him and then I'll…take over."

"I like it," exclaimed Skeletor. "What an evil plan I've managed to come up with, aye, Evil-Lyn?"

Evil-Lyn merely laughed.

=)=)=)

Adam stood outside the palace, hiding with Skeletor, Evil-Lyn, and Beastman. The rest of Skeletor's minions were outside Eternos waiting for Skeletor's signal to come inside the city walls. Skeletor hadn't wanted to waste his energy transporting everyone.

"This is it," said Adam to get things started.

"Yes, it is," agreed Skeletor with a laugh. He turned to Beastman and said, "Don't let him out of your sight."

"Yes, Skeletor," replied Beastman.

Skeletor immediately lifted his Havoc Staff and sent Adam and Beastman into the prince's bedchambers.

As soon as they appeared in the room, Adam looked at the bookcase. Everything seemed to be in its proper place which meant the Power Sword was still there. He glanced at Beastman and said, "This might take a little while. Do you mind if I grab a book to pass the time?"

"Argh, go ahead," Beastman said, looking around the room inquisitively.

Adam smiled in response. He chose Beastman to be with him because he thought he would be the easiest to subdue—he wasn't always the brightest adversary, after all. Adam walked to the bookcase and picked up a huge anthology of laws passed by his family. His father had given it to him when he had turned thirteen and started taking an interest in legislation. His father had stated that the book might come in handy. Adam smirked. He was sure his father didn't think it would come in handy quite like this.

Adam turned around with the book and immediately looked at Beastman. He was looking outside his window. The time was now or never. "Hey, Beastman," he called.

As soon as the villain turned to face him, Adam flung the book as hard as he could. It caught Beastman right in the face.

The King of the Beast fell down and smacked his head against the wall, dazing him. Quickly, Adam unbuckled his belt and used it to tie Beastman's hands and legs together. He didn't have the time to look for anything else to restrain him. He grabbed Beastman's legs and dragged him into the lavatory. Once he was in there, Adam closed the door and pulled a table in front of it to make it harder for Beastman when and if he tried to escape.

Adam quickly ran to the bookcase and retrieved his Power Sword.

"By the Power of Grayskull!"

=)=)=)


	25. A Parent's Worst Nightmare

Noticing Adam Chapter 25

King Randor stood at the edge of his throne room in front of the massive doors, which denied others entrance, and looked around the room. Usually at this time, it was filled with noblemen, ladies, and subjects from his kingdom and others, but he couldn't bring himself to open the doors…not today. Things just weren't the same without Adam…

Just that one fact, in and of itself, was an amazing observation. For the past four years, he always wanted Adam present in court because his son would one day rule the kingdom and be the High King of all Eternia. It was a big job with a huge responsibility, and he had wanted to teach him through observation. Of course, there were times when he thought Adam to be indifferent to it all. But it didn't really matter whether that was true or not at the moment. What mattered was his absence. Randor felt it acutely, as did Marlena. The truth was he didn't know how to continue. He didn't want to, not without Adam…not with his son's life at stake.

Man-at-Arms walked up to the king and rested his hand upon his shoulder. "Do you wish to open the doors, Your Highness?"

The king turned weary eyes to his oldest friend. He wanted to say "no." But what kind of king would he be? Regardless of the happenings in his personal life, he still had an obligation. Besides, if he sat around with his own thoughts without doing anything to save Adam, he knew it would drive him crazy. He had to get his mind off of it…as best as he could anyway. "Go ahead, Duncan," he whispered with a sigh as he turned around and walked onto the throne to join Marlena, who was already seated, and Adora, who stood at her side.

Soon, the room filled with people. Each of them looked at King Randor and nodded in acknowledgement. They could tell he didn't want to be bothered. Usually, he was at the door greeting everyone personally, but they understood why today was different. He had to be overwhelmed with worry and devastation, they realized.

For several minutes, the courtiers mingled and conversed amongst themselves. Randor, no longer being able to watch the mirth of others, was about to get up to excuse himself when he heard a loud voice over the crowd.

"I see where Prince Adam is on your priority list, King Randor."

The king immediately stood and scanned the room. He knew that voice anywhere.

With a sadistic laugh, Skeletor and Evil-Lyn appeared in the center of the room, and the courtiers ran to the walls to get as far away from the evil duo as possible.

"Where is my son, villain?" shouted Randor who took a single step down the throne but stopped when Man-at-Arms gestured for him to do so.

Skeletor also took a step closer and replied, "My, you do put on a good performance. Prince Adam is…nearby."

Marlena stood next to her husband and asked, "What do you want from us? We want Adam back, so make your demands."

Skeletor chuckled again and said, "I will get to that soon enough. What I want to discuss now is King Randor."

"We can discuss whatever you like, but bring me my son now!" spat the king.

Skeletor abruptly turned away from the throne and looked around the room. "Do you realize how far the king has pushed away his only son? He drove him to Snake Mountain."

Randor immediately descended the throne. He no longer heeded Duncan's wishes. He stood behind Skeletor and snapped, "What in the name of the Ancients are you talking about? You took him from us, and I will not rest until I get him back!"

Skeletor turned around, chuckled, and spread his arms wide. "This is your idea of getting your son back, huh, Randor? Sitting on the throne and having a party?" He looked at the queen and asked calmly, "Are you really foolish enough to believe the lie?"

He then looked over at Evil-Lyn and laughed. "I believe there has been a change of plans. Call Beastman. I want the prince to tell everyone the truth."

As Evil-Lyn brought the communicator to her mouth, everyone heard a deep voice say, "Not so fast!"

Skeletor turned around and exclaimed, "He-Man! I should have known. No matter. If you come any closer, no one will ever see the prince again!"

He-Man entered the throne room, smiled, and responded, "I have freed the prince, Skeletor. Your games are over. Go back to Snake Mountain while you have the chance."

Skeletor turned back to King Randor and said, "He may think he has let the prince go, but the truth and the situation have not changed. You have driven your son to hate you, and he is here to help me seize the throne and all of Eternia."

King Randor shook his head and yelled, "You're lying! Adam would never…"

"Oh, don't believe me then? The truth will become apparent soon enough." Skeletor made his Havoc Staff glow and said, "Perhaps you'll believe him." He held the staff out and…nothing happened.

=)=)=)

Teela picked up the bag she had prepared for her journey. She didn't know where Adam was, but she was determined to find him. Her first stop would be Snake Mountain, but after that, she would simply cover every nook and cranny on Eternia until she found him. She couldn't and wouldn't wait on Skeletor to decide it was time to play games with Adam's life. She would do anything to prevent that from happening.

She walked through the courtyard and thought about grabbing a Wind Raider or an Attak Trak, but she knew she could easily overlook things as she travelled quickly. It was possible Skeletor had hidden Adam in places where everyone would never think to look, like the Evergreen Forest.

She slipped her bag onto her shoulders and picked up her staff that she had laid on the fountain earlier. As quickly as she could, she went to the side gate and slipped outside of the palace walls. She had a long walk ahead of her and she was determined to get through it as quickly and as thoroughly as possible.

Teela had only walked about thirty feet when she heard a voice hiss, "I thought you would learn to ssssstay out of our waaaay!"

Knowing instantly who the voice belonged to, Teela whirled around and prepared to do battle with her staff, but her confidence and desire to charge at Kobra Khan deteriorated as she saw the quantity of who was with him. Instead of running away or backing down, though, she held her ground. "What are you doing here, and where's Adam?" she questioned hostilely.

Trap Jaw stepped forward and laughed. "Ha, ha, it's the Captain of the Guard. Let's get her and take her to Skeletor. The Royal Guard will have no choice but follow us when they realize we have the prince and their captain."

"We don't need her. We have Prince Adam on our side!" exclaimed Webstor.

"What?" asked Teela in complete shock. "You must be joking."

"Does it look like we're joking?" a voice from behind her asked. Immediately, Teela was seized by two very strong arms.

As Teela turned her head, she saw that it was Two-Bad. "Let me go!" she yelled.

Two-Bad looked to the others and said, "I say we hold on to her. Skeletor may like her as a present."

=)=)=)

Nothing appeared. Nothing happened.

Skeletor's mouth fell open at the empty space before him. He waved the Havoc Staff frantically and said aloud, "Hear me, bring Prince Adam to this room now!" He waved the staff again to the spot where he wanted the prince to appear and again nothing happened. Usually, Skeletor used his teleporter to bring people to him, but his magic could also do it if they were nearby…and on his side.

"Arrrrrgh!" exclaimed Skeletor. Either Prince Adam had been lying all along and was currently fighting his magic pull, or Skeletor had stretched himself too far by taking them all to the Enchanted Forest while Snake Mountain was being searched and when he brought them to their current locations. Both were possible.

"What's wrong, Skeletor?" questioned Evil-Lyn with a shrill voice.

"I don't know. I must have used too much energy bringing us here and sending the prince and Beastman elsewhere. Bring him here for me," he mumbled.

Immediately, Evil-Lyn made her wand appear and waved it in front of her.

Nothing happened.

He-Man, knowing the spells would never work because Prince Adam was already in the room, stepped forward to grab Evil-Lyn and prevent her from any further attempts. His movements were quickly brought to a halt, though, when she shouted, "I can't do it, Skeletor! Something's wrong!"

Seconds later, the room was filled with a frustrated cry that distracted He-Man from the evildoers before him. His eyes scanned the room and fell on his father who appeared to be having a hard time remaining calm. The king's face was now tented a dark shade of red, which was deepening, and he kept clinching his fist uncontrollably.

"What does this mean?" questioned Randor. "Where is my son? Why are you not bringing him?" At that moment, Marlena and Adora rushed to the king. They could tell he was seconds from exploding.

Skeletor, seeing an opening and now knowing Prince Adam's betrayal, replied, "We cannot summon him because he is no longer with us."

The king gasped and asked again, "What does that mean?"

"What do you think it means?" Skeletor asked and then laughed loudly. He knew how everyone would interpret his words and laughter, and he was only too happy to torture the fools while he could.

Randor stepped closer and yelled, "NO! I REFUSE TO BELIEVE THAT!" He then quickly ran to Skeletor, grabbed him roughly by the arms, and shook him fiercely.

"He is gone!" exclaimed Skeletor with a laugh. "Even I do not have the power to bring him back!"

Immediately, Randor threw Skeletor to the ground. The villain didn't care and allowed Randor's actions. He simply continued to laugh as the king turned to He-Man. "You killed him," whispered Randor. "Skeletor was using him as a bargaining chip, but you freed him and he must have run across someone who…who…"

He couldn't utter the words, but the thought moved him into action. Randor knew what he had to do: he took a step toward He-Man and reached out for the sword the warrior was carrying. He would drive it into Skeletor! He-Man would answer for his part in all of this, but Skeletor was the one who took his son from him and the king could not allow the villain to live, not after this.

Briefly Randor imagined the death of his greatest enemy before he actually did the deed. He knew it wouldn't bring Adam back, and he knew it wouldn't bring him any satisfaction, but at least his son would be avenged. Randor almost had his hand on He-Man's sword, when the "hero" quickly pulled it away and slipped it into his scabbard. Knowing that the opportunity had passed and no longer able to control the emotions tumbling through his mind and body, Randor dropped to his knees. He bent his torso to the ground and wailed sorrowfully as he pounded the ground with his fist.

He-Man dropped to his knees, as well, facing the king and pulled him up so that they could look each other in the eyes. "Adam is not dead," he stated calmly. "Skeletor is lying to you! I know it's hard after everything that's happened, but you need to think rationally about this. You know we cannot trust Skeletor or anything that he says."

"Then, why couldn't he or Evil-Lyn bring him here? They clearly meant to do that, but they couldn't!" yelled Randor, almost in hysterics.

"BECAUSE HE'S DEAD!" Skeletor and Evil-Lyn screamed together gleefully as they disappeared, hoping it would give Randor more reason to believe their words. After all, their current actions showed they still had their magical abilities, so he would continue to question why they couldn't summon the prince. With any luck, he and Evil-Lyn could gather his men and fight their way back inside the palace before Randor pulled himself together or realized the truth. If they could, they still had a chance to take over Eternia!

Randor continued to cry as the villains disappeared and he shook himself out of He-Man's hold roughly. "Do not touch me!" he roared. "This is your fault!"

"Randor!" exclaimed Marlena, as she wrapped her arms around her husband from behind and stared into He-Man's eyes with a look of great relief. "Adam is not dead!"

"How do you know?" he questioned woefully, turning his head slightly to look at her. He felt as though his world had been ripped out from under him, but he wanted hope. There had to be hope that his wife could provide him…but it came from elsewhere:

Adora bent before her father, seeing that he desperately needed reassurance, and answered, "Remember, I feel him, Father. I would know if he had…if something had happened to him. He's not dead. In fact, he's nearby." She turned to stare at her brother who instantly rose to his feet. "Couldn't you go get him, He-Man?"

"Of course," he answered and nearly ran from the room.

=)=)=)

He-Man ran through the corridors back to his room. He couldn't change back to Prince Adam outside the throne room, because the courtiers were gathering there to watch the events but to also stay out of the room incase Skeletor came back.

He opened the door to his bedchambers and saw that his lavatory door was still closed with the table against it. Beastman was still inside. He held the Power Sword up and then looked warily to the door. He didn't want to give Beastman any clues as to He-Man's true identity, so he ran inside his closet, shut the door, and whispered, "Let the power return!"

Instantly, he became Prince Adam, then he ran out of the closet and room, determined to get back to his father to show him that he was still alive. It wasn't until he reached the throne room doors and the other courtiers that he remembered his belt was missing. This slowed him down temporarily. He quickly brought his hands up to hold his opened tunic, which revealed dirt and crud more clearly on his white undershirt, closed. Even though his slightly disheveled appearance wasn't all that important in the greater scheme of things, he knew it might upset his father more so in his current state and make him worry about what Adam had possibly been through. The prince didn't want to cause his father any more unrest that could be avoided.

Being brought out of his worrisome thoughts, Adam heard several people exclaim, "Prince Adam! Are you all right?" The courtiers gathered around him expecting answers, but he simply nodded and worked his way through the crowd. As he stepped inside the throne room, all he could see was his father who was still on his knees and looking down at the floor with tears streaming from his eyes.

"Father!" yelled Adam as he ran towards him.

Randor couldn't believe his ears! He immediately looked up and saw his son rushing toward him. He instantly stood up and ran to meet him, as well. Father and son collided in a fierce hug, and Randor cried louder as he hugged Adam as tightly as he could. "Oh, praise the Ancients!" he shouted gratefully.


	26. The Nightmare Continues

Noticing Adam Chapter 26

"The last time I had such a pleasant day, I defeated Hordak and She-Ra within minutes of each other!" exclaimed Skeletor as he stood outside the palace walls, laughing as he eyed Teela.

Evil-Lyn looked at Skeletor and said, "I don't see what's so good about it. That coward of a prince betrayed us and ruined our plans!"

Skeletor continued to chuckle and replied, "We're not through, yet. We have the Captain of the Guard. King Randor still has no choice but to hand over the throne to me."

"Do you really think he would do that over Teela?" she asked. "It was possible when we had Prince Adam, but she's not his daughter…"

"He wouldn't let anything happen to her. His sickening allegiance to doing what's right guarantees that, but even if Randor doesn't want to, I'm sure Prince Adam and Man-at-Arms will see things my way."

At that moment, Teela struggled against Two-Bad's hold and yelled, "You monster! King Randor will never hand over the kingdom to you! I'd rather remain a captive forever than allow that to happen."

"I'm afraid you don't have a say in the matter, my dear," said Skeletor, who nodded at Kobra Khan.

Two-Bad quickly tossed Teela to the ground and Kobra Khan stood over her, spraying her with his sleep gas.

"Good night, Teela, ha ha," joked Trap Jaw.

Once Teela was asleep, Skeletor looked around and asked, "Where is Beastman?"

"We haven't seen him since you sent him to Prince Adam's room," replied Spikor.

With a grumble about Beastman's incompetence, Skeletor held his Havoc Staff out and brought the sorry excuse for a villain to their location. Immediately, laughter erupted from the numerous spectators. Beastman was struggling to free himself from none other than Prince Adam's belt.

Not everyone saw the humor, however. "Oh, no!" whispered Trap Jaw to Evil-Lyn. "Skeletor isn't going to like this!"

Skeletor stood over Beastman and his eyes briefly flashed a bright white light. Instantly, the belt disappeared.

Beastman immediately stood and pleaded, "I can explain, Skeletor! It wasn't my fault! Prince Adam…"

"Prince Adam!" snapped Skeletor. "You allowed a sniveling coward like Prince Adam to immobilize you!"

Beastman didn't know what to say. "I…I…" he trailed off. No matter what he said, he knew the end result wouldn't change: Prince Adam did exactly what Skeletor was accusing him of. Instead of getting hit by an energy blast like Beastman expected, Skeletor turned away from him.

"Very interesting," observed Skeletor almost to himself. "It seems there is more to Prince Adam than we thought. Very interesting." He then turned to Beastman and said, "Tell me everything that happened."

=)=)=)

King Randor and Prince Adam continued to hold one another as the courtiers and friends gathered around them. After several long moments, the king loosened his hold, pulled back, and held his son out at arm's length. He took note of his son's exhausted expression and his dirty and unkempt clothes. That was enough to tell him that Adam had been through quite an ordeal.

"Are you all right?" he asked, worriedly.

Adam nodded. "Yes, Father. What about you?"

Randor shook his head and eyed his son, almost as if the actions were a chastisement. "I'm fine. I'm not the one who was held prisoner for hours! I think you should get yourself cleaned up and rest. Did you even sleep last night?"

"Did you?"

The king's lips pressed together in a firm line. "No, I was too busy worrying about you, but I don't want you to be concerned about that. I'm okay, especially now that you're back and safe."

Before Adam could reply, the king pulled Adam back into his embrace and whispered as Adam rested his head against his, "I'm sorry, son."

"What are you sorry for?" asked Adam as he pulled back from the embrace again.

"For everything. For the way I've been acting. For the way I've treated you. For allowing Skeletor to kidnap you," replied the king.

Adam shook his head in denial. "It's not your fault."

Before the king could respond, the throne room was filled with several screams and courtiers rushing into the room. Father and son turned to look at the door way and saw Skeletor and most of his men also entering the room with none other than Teela sleeping in Beastman's arms.

=)=)=)

"TEELA!" yelled Man-at-Arms and Adam simultaneously as they ran before Skeletor and his men.

Skeletor eyed the prince, happy to have the opportunity to speak with him, and laughed. "Very well played, Prince Adam. You are a good actor," he said. "Too bad you didn't play the part a little longer so you could have attempted to save your Captain of the Guard."

"I haven't lost that opportunity, yet," spat the prince.

"ADAM!" yelled Randor as he ran in front of his son to block him from Skeletor's reach if the villain suddenly decided to attack.

The other simply moved to the side so he could still see Adam's face in its entirety. He wanted to read his expressions and body movements unimpeded. "Oh, really," he said. "How do you propose to do that?"

The prince stepped out from behind his father.

In response, King Randor immediately grabbed his arm. "Adam!" he said again sharply. The boy was now scaring him and he didn't know what in the world his son was thinking! Usually, he ran when things like this happened. Granted there was nowhere to run now—Skeletor's men had the only exit blocked, but he could have blended himself in with the other courtiers. "He definitely shouldn't be confronting Skeletor," he thought apprehensively.

Adam stood determined and eyed Skeletor with the most malicious look he could manage. He couldn't believe it! Everything was going wrong recently. He-Man had been needed constantly, almost to the point where it was ruining his life and making him want to resent the Elders and the powers they bestowed upon him. Oh, the irony that the one time he actually wanted and desperately needed to turn into He-Man, he couldn't!

As for Skeletor, he chuckled at the prince's expression, especially when Adora came to stand beside her brother with a matching look adorning her face. He had come to realize that very morning that Randor's children would be far more of a problem in the future than he had originally thought. He had a feeling if given the chance, these two would give him more of a fight than King Randor ever had. Perhaps he had been focusing on the wrong member of the Royal Family, he realized. Prince Adam was the future of Eternia, after all. Instead of asking every morning what he could do today to make life miserable for King Randor, he should have been asking, "What I can do today to make life miserable for Prince Adam?"

He looked over at Teela and laughed. He walked over to Beastman and said aloud, "I wonder how much she means to the prince."

"Skeletor," warned Adam. He tried to step forward, but Randor still had a firm grasp on his arm.

Skeletor turned back to the prince and said, "I have a deal for you, Prince Adam."

"I'm listening" was the reply.

"ADAM, NO!" yelled Randor as he pulled Adam behind him and stood in front of him sideways to keep a hand on his son and his eyesight on Skeletor. The king then spoke to his adversary, "Make your deal with me."

Skeletor laughed again and replied, "But I don't want to make the deal with you, King Randor. This is for Prince Adam only."

"What is it?" hissed Adam.

"It's quite simple. I want you to fight for Teela. You already defeated Beastman once, so it shouldn't be too hard to do so again. Of course, now, he'll be paying attention when you attack, but I'm sure that doesn't bother you," he replied smugly.

King Randor shook his head adamantly and said, "The answer is 'no!'"

Man-at-Arms even shook his head and added, "She is my daughter. Let me fight for her instead."

Skeletor ignored them and continued to stare at the prince. Adam knew this was the only deal Skeletor was going to make, and truth be told, it made things easier for him. Instead of having to fight all of Skeletor's minions as Prince Adam, he would only have to fight one.

"Let me get this straight," he said. "I will fight Beastman for Teela's freedom. If I win, you will release her and leave without causing any more problems."

"Yes," answered Skeletor firmly.

"And, if I lose?"

Skeletor laughed. "Then, you will come with me to Snake Mountain. Afterward, I will do with you as I wish."

"NO!" shouted Randor. "NO DEAL! We will simply take Teela back! Call for the guards, Man-at-Arms!"

As Man-at-Arms raised the comlink to his mouth, Skeletor said, "If you do, the deal is over and I will do with Teela as I please."

"Man-at-Arms," said Adam, "don't. I can win."

Duncan shook his head. "No, it's too risky and you are far too important to risk yourself like this."

"Teela is important, too," he answered.

Skeletor laughed again and said, "So, we have a deal?"

Adam nodded. "Yes, you have a deal."

"NO, YOU DON'T!" shouted Randor. "Adam, what are you thinking?"

Adam grabbed his father's shoulders and turned him to face him. "I can win, Father. I know you don't have much faith in my ability to fight, but I do. I can win."

Randor squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head again. "Adam, don't do this! There must be another way!"

"Like what?" he snapped. "Tell me another way that will also allow no one else to get harmed or killed."

When Randor remained silent, Adam nodded. "You see, it has to be this way. You have always believed that a prince should face danger to protect his people. You said you wanted me to live up to my obligations. This is my chance to do exactly that, Father."

"Not this way," whispered Randor, but Adam closed his eyes briefly before gesturing to his mother and sister. "Try to stop him if he tries to interfere."

Already King Randor tried to pull from his wife and daughter's hold when they slipped their arms around his waist. "No!" he cried.

Man-at-Arms also came over, stood in front of Randor, and placed a firm hand on the king's chest to keep him in place. "Are you sure, Adam? You don't have to do this for my daughter. We can find another way."

Adam nodded at Man-at-Arms. He would say no more on the matter. He then looked at his sister and mother.

Adora had tears in her eyes and said, "Good luck, my brother, but I know you won't need it." Adam smiled in response.

When he met his mother's gaze, she simply said, "Be careful, Adam. I couldn't bear it if I lost you."

"There's little chance of that," replied the prince.

Adam then took a deep breath and faced Skeletor and Beastman who were watching the events unfold patiently. As he stepped forward, he heard his father cry out again.

"Man-at-Arms, I order you to let me go and stop this!" yelled Randor. "I am your king and you will do as I say!"

Prince Adam turned back to Man-at-Arms and said, "And, now you have a conflicting order: I am your prince and the future king of Eternia, and I order you to not stop me or let my father go, Duncan. With that, now, you decide on your own what's best."

Man-at-Arms nodded and continued to hold Randor. He looked at him and said, "I'm sorry, sire, but it's Prince Adam's wishes and he can win. I know he can."

"Nooo!"

=)=)=)

Adam watched as Teela was set down in the corner of the room. Whiplash and Tri-Klops stood over her to make sure no one from court rushed to get her while the fight was underway. He took another deep breath and went to stand before Beastman.

"So, it's between you and me," he said as he came to a stop a few feet away from Beastman.

"Arrgh, so it is. This time you won't defeat me so easily," replied Beastman. At that moment, he rushed at Adam.

The prince had already been anticipating this, so he quickly stepped aside, grabbed Beastman by his shoulder and belt, and threw him as far as he could across the room. The villain landed on the floor with a sickening thud, but after a groan, he got right back up. "Let's see you do that again!" yelled Beastman as he rushed at Adam again.

This time Beastman was prepared for Adam's attempt to grab and throw him. He slowed at the last possible second and simply grabbed Adam's arms forcibly.

"ADAM!" shouted Randor as Beastman started overpowering the prince and pushing him back towards the wall. The king couldn't stand watching this any longer. He had to get involved. He started pushing and pulling away from his wife, daughter, and best friend. His son needed him!

Adam knew he had to do something. If Beastman got him into a corner, it would be over. The question was "What?" As he continued to back up, Adam decided to hold his ground as best as he could, even if he ended up falling, and push back against the beast.

Beastman was temporarily surprised at the sudden pressure he felt from the prince. Adam was a lot stronger than he realized and had actually made him take a step back!

The prince took advantage of Beastman's shock and loss of ground. He brought his leg up and kicked the brute's knee as hard as he could. Almost immediately, Beastman released the prince, cried out in pain, and fell down on his good knee. Prince Adam stood before Beastman and quickly wondered how to end this fight. He didn't want to kill him, so he wouldn't bring his sword out. Besides, he learned his lesson. He didn't want them to know he had it incase he lost. He could easily turn into He-Man and break out of Snake Mountain as long as his sword stayed safely hidden on his back.

He stepped forward again to make sure Beastman didn't gain any equilibrium and shoved him back onto the floor as he tried to get up. At this moment, Prince Adam turned to Skeletor slightly and said, "He's down. I win."

"He's down but he's not out," countered the Lord of Destruction.

"I'm not going to kill him! I've won the fight!" snapped Adam.

"Don't be too sure of that," replied Skeletor, pointing to Beastman, who was getting up again.

In response, Adam ran back towards him to shove and keep him on the floor.

Beastman allowed Adam's advances and when he got close enough this time, he quickly grabbed the prince by both knees, lifted him into the air as far as he could, and slammed him onto his back. Adam's head snapped back and banged the floor hard as he came down. Beastman took this opportunity to crawl on top of the prince to try to subdue him.

Adam's head started spinning as he continued to fight off Beastman. The villain was now on top of him so all Adam could do at the moment was hold his arms off of him and hope he could somehow throw Beastman off soon. As the room continued to spin, Adam closed his eyes and used all his strength to roll onto his side quickly. This unexpected action caused Beastman to fall on his side, which allowed Prince Adam enough time to scramble away.

The prince slowly got to his feet, but it was obvious he was dazed. He couldn't stand still and kept stumbling.

"ADAM!" Randor and Adora cried this time.

Just as Adora was about to release their father and go to Adam to help him herself, Adam pointed towards them and yelled, "Stop! Stay out of this!" Immediately, Adora ceased her movements and continued to prevent the king from interfering.

Beastman watched the prince point to the side of where his father and sister were located when he spoke to them and knew Adam's vision was impaired. With a grin, he ran back to the prince, but fortunately, Adam knew Beastman would try to take advantage of his malady, so he was prepared and had a plan. He now knew with his injury and what was at stake, he could no longer be nice and try to get out of this without seriously hurting anyone. He had to fight hard and brutally to win. There was no other way.

As Beastman ran toward him, Adam swung his arm out wide and brought it back across the space in front of him quickly, because he knew he'd eventually grab his opponent no matter how far his eyesight was off. When Adam's hand connected with the side of Beastman's face lightly, he latched onto the back of his neck, held the beast's head in place while he brought his other fist up, and punched him hard right in the nose where he had hit him earlier with the anthology.

Beastman had been pushing the prince back while Adam was doing this, so both fell straight away. Beastman landed right on top of Adam which knocked the wind out of both of them.

As Beastman and Adam wheezed, King Randor had nearly managed to break free of his captors' grasp. "LET ME GO!" he yelled again as he glared at his family and then looked towards Adam. It seemed like Beastman was getting up first. He turned back to Duncan and said, "Don't you see, we have to help him!"

Even though Beastman was the first to get up, Adam wasn't worried. He laid back and spread his legs apart. When his opponent brushed against them lightly, the prince immediately twisted his lower body around and did a flat horizontal roundhouse kick onto Beastman's right calf.

Again, Beastman was caught off guard by the prince's actions and he fell forward right onto his face. This time it seemed like he was having trouble lifting his head much less getting up entirely.

Adam breathed roughly as he watched Beastman struggle. He then turned in the direction of Skeletor to order that he release Teela, but the startled screams of his sister and mother grabbed his attention.

"SIRE!" he heard Man-at-Arms yell.

Adam turned around and saw his father sagging in everyone's arms as they caught him. He quickly tried to make his way to his father, but Skeletor—angry at Beastman for losing—ran behind the prince and threw him to the floor unexpectedly. The prince bumped his head on the floor again, and Skeletor cried, "So, you won this time but something tells me it won't be such a joyous celebration!" He watched as Man-at-Arms now spoke on his comlink to call all of the Royal Guard available to the throne room. Even though Skeletor had a great number of men with him, he knew he didn't have enough to take on the entire Royal Guard, so he quickly laughed and disappeared, taking his minions with him.

Once the evildoers were gone, no one knew who to go to first. Both the king and prince were unconscious. As Randor lay on the floor with his head propped on Marlena's lap, Adora and Man-at-Arms rushed to Adam.

"Adam! Oh, my brother!" exclaimed Adora as she mimicked her mother's actions.

With Adam's head propped on Adora's legs, Man-at-Arms lifted each of Adam's eyelids to look at his eyes. "He definitely has a concussion," he whispered.

At that moment, a groan was heard and Duncan turned to see Randor waking up. He immediately rushed back to his king.

"What happened?" asked Randor.

"I don't know, Your Majesty," replied Duncan, "but I think you had a spike in blood pressure and passed out! I think it's safe to say that all this recent stress and yelling is to blame."

Queen Marlena took off Randor's crown and brushed his hair out of his eyes with her fingers. "You have to stop this, Randor," she whispered.

The king nodded softly and closed his eyes for a moment. He wanted to go to sleep. The peace the king had seemingly found quickly ended, however, when he remembered what was happening prior to his collapse. He snapped his eyes open and said loudly, "Adam! Where is he? Did he lose?"

Marlena pulled Randor back down as he tried to sit up and said, "Shhh! Calm down. He didn't lose. He won, and Skeletor left and took his allies with him."

"Teela?" the king then asked.

"Safe," replied Man-at-Arms.

King Randor smiled and looked around him. "Where are Adam and Adora? I want to see them."

Marlena looked at Duncan warily.

This look did not go unnoticed by the king. He immediately sat up and asked, "What's wrong? What happened?" When his eyes scanned the room, he immediately found his answer.

He let out a startled gasp, struggled to his feet, and rushed to Adam despite feeling weak. He dropped beside his children and laid his hand across Adam's cheek. "Adam?" he called.

The prince never stirred.


	27. Family Reunited

Noticing Adam Chapter 27

He could hear his blood rushing through his body—he could feel the erratic pace with his eardrums as his heart pounded fiercely. King Randor pulled his hand away from his son's cheek and placed it on the floor firmly to catch himself. He knew he was on the verge of passing out again, but he could not, would not allow that to happen. Right now, he wanted everyone's attention on Adam.

"Randor?" questioned Marlena, as she kneeled behind him and wrapped an arm around his chest. He knew she could tell something was wrong.

"Call the Royal Physician," he whispered. "We need to get Adam to the infirmary."

Marlena looked at Duncan who was already speaking on his comlink. Once he was through, he said, "He and his assistants are on their way now."

"They're coming, Randor," the queen assured her husband as she tried to get him to lean back against her.

The king refused to rest. He pulled away from Marlena and reached for Adam's hand. "What happened?" he asked. "You said Adam won, so why is he like this?"

Adora answered, "When you passed out, Adam had already won. He turned to come to us. I believe he wanted to check on you, but Skeletor pushed him from behind. We know that hit from Beastman hurt Adam already, so I think he wasn't able to catch himself as he fell. He hit his head again."

Randor squeezed his eyes shut and grimaced. Once again he had hurt his son without meaning to, and this time, it was physical. Would his mistakes never end? "I'm sorry, son," he whispered as he squeezed Adam's hand. When he reopened his eyes, he noticed the Royal Physician and a number of his assistants rushing into the throne room with two gurneys. "Why are there two?" he questioned aloud.

Man-at-Arms, knowing his king wouldn't like the answer, replied, "You're getting checked out, too, Sire." At the king's frown, he continued, "I know you don't want to, but we can't ignore the fact that you passed out."

"Adam is more important right now," countered the king. "I want him to be everyone's number one priority."

The doctor wisely chose to kneel beside Adam and check his pulse. When he was through, he said, "I can manage you both, Your Majesty."

Randor opened his mouth to complain but Marlena quickly interjected, "So, the only question left is whether you will get on that gurney of your own free will or will I have to tell the guard to force you to get on it?"

Shocked at his wife's efficacy because he knew she meant it, Randor widened his eyes and then stuttered, "Uh, I—I…I'll get it on it."

"Good boy," she whispered as she stood up and extended her hand to her husband to help pull him up.

Randor slowly got to his feet and sat on the gurney as they lowered it to the ground. Instead of lying back, he watched Adam being assessed.

The doctor flashed a small light in each of Adam's eyes as he held them open. He then proceeded to rub his fingers throughout the prince's hair to feel his scalp. When the doctor reached the back of his head, Adam breathed in sharply and groaned.

"Prince Adam?" the doctor questioned. When he received no answer, he continued checking his patient. Mindful of the area he had just found, he ran his fingers over it lightly. It felt soft, like squishy foam. When he brought his fingers to the front, he found another similar spot to the right of his forehead. He then proceeded to make notes on a pad he brought and stood up. "I'll do a more thorough check when we get to the lab," he said, "but for right now I want to give the prince a head-screening. He's obviously suffered two powerful hits to his head."

Marlena nodded and replied, "Whatever you want is fine."

The doctor then turned to Randor as his assistants lowered the second gurney to the ground and lifted Adam onto it gently. "As for you, my king, we are going to run a multitude of tests. Man-at-Arms informed me that you fainted."

"I'm fine," the king insisted. "I was simply stressed out because Adam was fighting Beastman."

The doctor shrugged as if the news were insignificant. And, really, it was. "Regardless, we're going to find out what exactly caused it, so lie back."

Recognizing that neither his wife nor his doctor was going to let him do anything else, he complied.

=)=)=)

As King Randor and Prince Adam were being rolled out of the room, Teela, who had been sleeping in the corner of the throne room the entire time, woke up. She saw the king and prince and immediately sat up. Despite feeling a little queasy, she called out, "Adam? Your Majesty?"

No one answered her as they left the room. She quickly began to stand when someone stopped her movements by pushing her back down. She looked up and saw that it was her father. "Everything is all right now," he assured her.

"How can you say that?" she cried. "Why are the king and Adam being carried out of here?"

Man-at-Arms knew she wouldn't rest until she knew what was going on, so he decided to give her the condensed version, "Adam fought Beastman to save you. He won, but Skeletor took a cheap shot and pushed him to the ground. He pumped his head and passed out. As for King Randor, the excitement caused him to pass out. At least that's my theory for right now. They're heading to the infirmary to be tested."

Teela simply gaped at her father in complete shock.

Duncan stared back and began to worry a little when he noticed she wasn't blinking. "Teela?" he questioned as he shook her a little.

Teela then quickly closed her eyes and reopened them. "Adam fought Beastman to save me?" she questioned.

Man-at-Arms nodded with a little smile. "You should have seen him, Teela," he whispered. "You would have been so proud. He's obviously paying attention during your combat lessons. Beastman didn't know what hit him."

Teela continued to stare at her father silently, but then she abruptly covered her face with her hands.

"Teela?" her father questioned again.

The Captain of the Guard quickly shook her head and then brought her hands down to look at him. "Father, I'm supposed to be protecting him, not the other way around!" she cried.

Man-at-Arms quickly pulled his daughter to him, hugged her, and said, "You and Adam are friends, and he was worried about you. He had the chance to save you, so he took it. I'm grateful as you should be."

Teela pulled back and met her father's gaze. She didn't know how to feel about the turn of events, but there was one thing she wanted to do. She exclaimed, "We have to get to the infirmary! I have to see him!" She quickly stood up and ran from the room with Man-at-Arms close on her heels.

=)=)=)

King Randor frowned as he lay reclined on the bed and stared at the monitor at his side. The machine had numerous wires which were currently attached to his chest—they were monitoring his heart. "How long do I have to be hooked up to this?" he questioned.

Marlena—the only other person in the room—smirked and replied, "For however long the doctor says." As her husband's frown deepened, she continued, "You were the one who made a habit out of yelling and getting upset, so now you must deal with the consequences."

The king nodded reluctantly and said, "I suppose you're right. It wouldn't be so bad if it weren't stopping me from being with Adam right now."

The queen, who was sitting in a chair beside the bed, reached out, patted him on the leg, and assured him, "He'll be here as soon as they're through with their tests. We have to be patient, Randor. We don't want anyone to miss anything because we were rushing them."

"You're quite right, my dear," he said as he grabbed her hand from his leg, intertwined their fingers, and held it softly. "I'm just a little anxious."

"Trust me, we all are," she whispered.

At that moment, the doors to the room opened and a bed carrying the sleeping prince was pushed inside.

"Put it next to mine," ordered Randor.

The nurses didn't hesitate as they lowered the side railing on both their beds and pushed them together. Immediately, Randor reached over to touch Adam, but the doctor came into the room and asked, "Why don't you let him rest for a little bit?"

The king's hand hung in midair for a moment before he decided to do as the doctor wished. "Do you have any results?" he asked, figuring that was what the doctor wanted to discuss.

He nodded. "I do not believe there is any permanent damage. He has two concussions, but we're going to monitor him to make sure he doesn't have any brain hemorrhages. When you talk to him over the next few days, if he seems incoherent and forgets things that he should readily know, tell me immediately."

The royal couple nodded their agreement silently, and the doctor took this opportunity to go to the heart monitor and look at the current readings. "Everything seems fine so far," he observed.

"I told you so," replied Randor, smirking at Marlena.

"We're not taking any chances," she chastised.

And, the doctor agreed, "No, we are not." As he walked to the door, making more notes on his pad, he turned to the Royal Family and said, "The waiting room is getting quite full. Are you up to seeing any visitors?"

"It depends on who they are," responded the king.

"The better question is who isn't out there," the doctor joked.

Marlena smiled and said, "In that case, I'll go and thank everyone for their concern." She then turned to her husband and continued, "I know Adora is out there and dying to see you and her brother, so I'll bring her in shortly. What about Man-at-Arms and Teela?"

The king nodded and answered, "They will be fine, as well."

As the doctor and queen left the room, Randor looked over at Adam. He immediately scooted over to rest beside him. "Adam?" he whispered as he touched his face lightly by brushing his chin with his fingers.

Slowly, Adam opened his eyes. The relief that Randor felt quickly ceased when Adam attempted to look at him and then grimaced in obvious pain.

"Adam?" questioned the king louder than he had earlier.

"The room is spinning," the prince explained as he closed his eyes. It was worse than it had been on prior days when it was from mere exhaustion. "I'm going to be sick."

"Breathe in deeply through your nose," said Randor softly, "and then out through your mouth slowly." The king reached for a bedpan that was resting on a table beside his bed.

The prince did as he was told and soon settled down. He opened his eyes warily and looked at his father. "Thank you," he whispered.

As the king nodded and put the pan back on the table, the door opened and Marlena, Adora, Duncan, and Teela walked into the room. Everyone smiled when they saw the prince's opened eyes.

"Adam!" exclaimed Adora as she quickly ran to her brother's side of the adjoined bed.

"Careful," warned Randor. "He's dizzy, so don't jerk the bed around too much."

Moving much more carefully, Adora slipped into the bed beside Adam, flung an arm around his waist, and rested her head on his shoulder.

Immediately, Adam smiled, lifted his right arm so she could burrow in more comfortably, and wrapped his arm around her. He rubbed her back a few times and whispered, "I'm so glad to see you, sis."

"And, I'm so glad to see you awake," replied Adora. She looked up and noticed he had closed his eyes. Knowing that he wasn't feeling well, she continued, "I hope you know I'm not leaving Eternia until you're out of this bed and back on your feet again."

Adam opened his eyes even though he didn't look down at her. "Good," he said jokingly, "now I'll have an excuse to never get up."

Adora laughed, and soon the king and queen joined in, as well.

At that moment, Teela stepped forward and stood in front of her prince. "Adam," she said, making sure she had his attention. When their eyes met, she continued, "I just wanted to thank you for saving my life."

Adam smiled at her warmly. "No thanks is necessary," he said softly, "but you are welcome."

Teela nodded, looked down, and skimmed her left foot against the tile. When she looked up again, she added, "I hope you feel better soon. I can't stand you being hurt because of me."

"It wasn't because of you, Teela," insisted Adam. "Besides, to have you back safe and sound, it's completely worth having a few dizzy days." The two stared at each other for a moment and soon each was blushing.

"Uh…well, I guess I'll let you get some rest, Your Majesties. Adam, I'll stop by again sometime soon," she said, stepping towards the door and slipping outside.

When the door closed, Marlena smiled knowingly and said, "My, she didn't even let us say good-bye."

Duncan walked to the bed and explained, "She's upset about Adam. She doesn't like that he rescued her instead of the other way around."

Adam laughed a little and then winced at the throbbing sensation it caused in his head and the appearance of the room spinning again. "She'll get over it," he gasped out.

"Are you okay, son?" the king questioned.

"Yeah," he grunted and started breathing the way his father had told him to earlier.

At that moment, a nurse came into the room and went to King Randor's side of the bed. "Okay, let's take your blood pressure," he said. Once he was through, he jotted down the numbers and went to Adam's side of the bed and did the same. He then rubbed the prince's arm and said questioningly, "My prince?"

When Adam looked at him, the nurse asked, "Do you know where you are?"

"The Royal Palace," he answered.

"What's your name?"

"Adam."

"Who's your father?"

"King Randor."

The nurse nodded and jotted down a few more notes. When he looked up, he noticed everyone's questioning look. He quickly explained, "We're making sure there's no bleeding. We will ask questions periodically to make sure everything's okay. I believe the doctor mentioned that you should let him know if he becomes incoherent or forgets things he should know prior to hitting his head."

The king and queen nodded while Adora looked worriedly at her brother. Adam noticed and whispered, "I'm fine, sis."

When the nurse walked out, Duncan excused himself and left, as well. Once they were alone, Randor looked at his children and said, "So, it looks like we're all going to be here for a while. What would you like to talk about?"

Adora shrugged while Adam answered, "To tell the truth, I want to go to sleep." He yawned and then mumbled, "I feel like I could sleep for a year."

Randor smiled and said, "Then, go to sleep. I might even join you."

"Me, too," Adora and Marlena agreed. Both women laughed and then Marlena added, "None of us managed to sleep well last night thanks to Skeletor. Since we're all here together, I think now would be the best time."

With that, Marlena climbed into the bed on her husband's side. Randor scooted over closer to Adam, wrapped his arm around him, and pulled him on his side and to him slowly. Adora quickly pressed herself against Adam's back and wrapped her arm around his waist while Marlena did the same to Randor.

"Is everyone comfortable?" questioned Randor, trying to make sure they could all fit.

When everyone said "yes," they grew quiet until Adam stirred and said, "Wait. I can't go to sleep yet."

"What?" asked his mother.

"Why?" questioned his father.

"Where's Cringer?" he asked. He started lifting his head but then dropped it with a groan.

Adora quickly jumped out of bed and answered, "We left him in the waiting room with Orko. We didn't think they'd let an animal back here. I'll see if he's still there and sneak him in."

Less than a minute later, Adora walked in and a green and yellow tiger sprang onto the bed. "Adam!" cried Cringer. He then strattled Adam's body as he walked to his master's head and began to lick the side of his face frantically.

"CRINGER!" yelled the Adam, laughingly, getting onto his pet. "That's enough!"

Cringer stopped and said, "I was so worried, Adam."

The prince smiled. "I know, old buddy. I'm okay. We were just about to go to sleep, but I had to make sure you were okay first."

"I'm fine," the tiger replied, "and sleep sure does sound good right about now." He yawned and immediately walked to the foot of the bed to lie across everyone's feet.

Adam chuckled, already knowing that would be Cringer's response, and said, "I'm so glad you agree." He looked at his father and said, "Everyone is here. Now, we can go to sleep."

King Randor smiled at his son as Adora got back into bed. He then sat up, spread out and pulled the sheets over everyone, and then resumed his former position. With his wife at his back and him holding on to his son and daughter, he felt more content in that moment than he had in weeks.

=)=)=)

Skeletor, lost in deep contemplation, tapped his fingers against the council table rapidly. Most of his followers were in the room and only Beastman, Evil Lyn, Trap Jaw, Mer-Man, and Tri-Klops were seated. Everyone else was standing.

No one uttered a word, because they were afraid to attract Skeletor's attention after their defeat at the Royal Palace. Their attempt was futile because eventually Skeletor turned his attention to each warrior and appeared to scrutinize them all carefully before finally reaching Beastman.

Beastman was the only one who didn't notice Skeletor's actions. He had buried his face into his hands and was propping his whole body on his elbows against the table. He felt horrible physically and knowing that Skeletor was furious at him for his losing to Prince Adam again didn't help him feel any better mentally.

"Tell me, Beastman," said Skeletor, finally scaring everyone into jumping at the sound of his voice, "how does it feel to be beaten once again by Prince Adam?"

Beastman sat back in his seat and groaned at the motion. His head was killing him. "Not good, Skeletor," he answered. "The prince had more fight in him than I imagined."

Skeletor stood in response. He was tempted to stun Beastman with an energy bolt but decided he'd let him fret over what his punishment would be for a little while longer. He met Evil Lyn's eyes and said, "I want you to go back to the Royal Palace."

"But Skeletor," she cried, "the guard will be on full alert! I cannot do anything…"

"Silence!" ordered Skeletor loudly. "I want you to go there and find out what is happening with King Randor and Prince Adam. I want to know their conditions. Do not come back until you know." He kept his eyes on her until she reluctantly bowed and left the room.

Skeletor sat back down and started speaking aloud to no one in particular. "He-Man didn't show up during the fight, and neither did that woman. They usually show up within minutes of my attacking any member of the Royal Family. He was there earlier when Prince Adam escaped. Where did he go, and why did he not come back?"

Tri-Klops ventured to answer. "Perhaps, he didn't know we came back."

"But he always seems to know," replied Skeletor softly. It was obvious he was still scrutinizing the day's events carefully. He then laughed almost cheerfully as he concluded, "I believe we have rattled him and he is making mistakes as a result." He looked around at his minions and asked, "So, what do we do next?"

As Skeletor laughed again, everyone looked at each other questioningly.

Trap Jaw asked, "Uh, attack Castle Grayskull again?"

"No, you fool!" snapped Skeletor. "Attacking Grayskull would only rile He-Man and She-Ra!"

"I thought that's what we wanted to do," stated Mer-Man, looking at Trap Jaw who merely shrugged.

"I believe it is time to change our focus," replied Skeletor, "to a more deserving and enjoyable individual."

When silence pervaded the room, Skeletor sighed, grumbled at their lack of intelligence, and said, "Prince Adam, of course."

Beastman groaned and said, "Why are we messing with him?"

Now, the brute did receive the energy bolt he was owed. Beastman yelled out in pain as Skeletor set his Havoc Staff back down. "Don't you see Prince Adam is the key? He's at the center of all the torment we could inflict. Haven't you learned anything today?" When he was once again met with blank stares, he explained, "When we attack Prince Adam, it affects all our enemies: in a single action, I hit King Randor, Queen Marlena, his sister, He-Man, She-Ra, Man-at-Arms, and the Captain of the Guard. They all crumble at the thought of the prince being hurt or taken. He-Man showed up to rescue the prince today. She-Ra tried to rescue him last night. We caught Teela when she was trying to look for him, no doubt. Did you see how King Randor and Man-at-Arms volunteered to take the prince's place in my bargain? Everything we do to him affects the others."

When Skeletor started laughing again, the others joined in, as well. They knew he was right: attacking Prince Adam would affect the others and it would be more pleasing than attacking Grayskull and He-Man. They could harm Prince Adam far easier than they ever could He-Man. They looked forward to the opportunity.


	28. Prince Adam the Hero

Noticing Adam Chapter 28

Teela left the infirmary and was surprised to see all the bustle rushing down the corridor. She stood close to the wall and stayed there to avoid getting pushed around by everyone. The palace had never seemed so busy before!

"Did you hear what happened?" Teela heard Lady Amanda telling Lady Ashley as they walked by. "Prince Adam fought Beastman and won!"

Teela grimaced at the reminder of the days' events and that she had once again been negligent in her duty as Prince Adam's bodyguard. While she slept, he had been fighting for his life…and hers. She turned in the opposite direction to go to her bedchambers when she heard another conversation by two members of the guard:

"He punched Beastman right in the face! Old Fuzzface never knew what hit him and you should have seen old Bonehead's face! He didn't think the prince had any fight in him. I always knew he did, of course. It's just that he's a prince, you know—he's supposed to be refined and cultured. Princes aren't supposed to be ruffians. I bet no one will make the mistake of thinking he can't fight again!"

Teela stopped moving and squeezed her eyes shut. The whole kingdom would know by the end of the day! Before she could listen in on the conversation of another group of people walking by, she felt someone clutch her shoulder firmly.

"Are you all right?" she heard the concerned voice ask.

Teela turned around and met her father's gaze. "I don't know," she answered truthfully, not surprised that he had left the infirmary to follow her and undoubtedly talk about what had happened.

Duncan immediately pulled his daughter to a nearby bench and made her sit down. When he joined her, he asked, "Are you still feeling the effects of Kobra Khan's sleep gas?"

"No," she answered with a shake of her head. "I just…I don't know if I can handle this, Father."

At Man-at-Arm's questioning gaze, she explained, "Everyone is talking about it. Everyone knows Adam fought Beastman today. I suppose I should be proud. Like you said earlier, our combat lessons have paid off…but Father, I can't shake the feeling that I let Adam and the king down."

Before Duncan could reply, two more courtiers, who were speaking loudly, walked by. "I always knew we were wasting our time," pouted Lady Luciana. "I always suspected Prince Adam and Captain Teela had something going on with one another and this only proves it. He wouldn't have fought for anyone but her."

"I know," agreed Lady Morgan.

Duncan grabbed Teela's hand and said, "Don't let them rattle you, much less yourself. You haven't let anyone down. As a matter of fact, I know the king will be pleased when given the chance to think about it. Adam has gained some valuable fighting skills from you—that alone shows you haven't failed in your duty to anyone."

Teela heard her father's words but she couldn't respond. She continued to watch Lady Luciana and Lady Morgan walk down the hall until they disappeared around the corner. She kept repeating their conversation in her mind. "Everyone thinks Adam and I have something going on," she whispered.

Man-at-Arms heard her and tried to calm her. "Don't let it bother you, my daughter. You know how ladies of the court can be: they love to spread gossip amongst themselves. It will die down in a few days, and they'll forget their words and resume trying to win Adam's affections, as usual."

Teela whipped her head to her father at his words and narrowed her eyes in annoyance.

=)=)=)

Adam awoke to the shrilling sound of some kind of machine going off. "What on Eternia?" he questioned as he covered his ears and saw Cringer cringing at the foot of the bed, doing the same.

The room instantly filled with members of the medical staff as they rushed to the bed. "Your Majesty!" one of the nurses exclaimed.

Adam immediately looked at his father's face and noticed his closed eyes. "Is it possible to sleep through all this racket?" he asked himself, becoming increasingly alarmed while ignoring the constant spinning of the room. "FATHER!" he yelled loudly. He also pushed on the king because he feared something was horribly wrong.

King Randor jumped in his sleep, sat up, and covered his ears. "What in the name of the Ancients?" he yelled, as he looked at his wife who also had her ears covered and then turned to observe that Adam and Adora doing the same.

The Royal Physician ran into the room and quickly flipped off the king's heart monitor. "It seems you accidentally unhooked yourself," he said as way of explanation. He quickly followed the wires from the machine but stopped when he realized they were under Queen Marlena. "I obviously wasn't expecting you to share your beds with so many people or I would have taped the wires down a lot better."

The queen blushed and was about to get up to move out of the doctor's way, but Randor quickly wrapped his arm around his wife and held her to his side. "We didn't get the chance to sleep last night, and considering what took place this morning, I wasn't about to allow anyone to leave my sight."

The doctor nodded and said, "Of course, I don't blame you, Your Majesty." He then proceeded to look at the monitor's findings and wrote on his pad.

After a few moments, the doctor turned his attention to the prince. He walked over and used his fingers to widen each of Adam's eyes as he looked at them with a small light. "Do you know where you are in the palace specifically?" he asked when he was through.

"The infirmary."

"Who is the court magician?"

"Orko."

"What's your sister's name?"

After a slight pause where he almost looked discombobulated, he whispered, "Adora."

The doctor nodded and wrote a little more on his pad.

"Does this mean we'll be able to leave the infirmary today?" asked Randor. He was relieved Adam seemed coherent and able to answer the doctor's questions.

In response, the doctor grabbed a stool and rolled it over next to the bed. It was obvious he was preparing for a lengthy conversation.

Randor looked at Marlena with widened eyes. Her expression mirrored his, and they both pursed their lips as they turned their attention back to the doctor.

"I suppose it would be all right to release you, Your Majesty. It appears you didn't have a heart attack and none of the tests have picked up anything abnormal."

The king started to smile and was on the verge of boasting when the doctor interjected, "But that doesn't mean there isn't a problem. I can't guarantee that. And, even if there isn't yet, a problem could develop. Your blood pressure was elevated when we brought you in earlier. Yes, I know that was due to the situation, but if half the rumors spreading throughout the palace is true, you and Adam have been under a lot of stress recently. I need both of you to take it easy for a while. Do you think you can stay calm on your own, my king, or do I need to prescribe something to help?"

Marlena started to respond but the king quickly blurted, "I can do it on my own." He then leveled his wife with a stern gaze, knowing she was going to suggest putting him on medication.

The queen merely smiled at her husband indulgently and said to the physician, "We'll try it Randor's way for now, but may I come to you for the medication in the future if it is discovered that he needs help after all?"

"Of course," he answered.

Before Randor could complain, Marlena continued, "And, what about Adam?"

"I'd like to keep him here a little longer for observation," he said without pause for consideration.

"Why?" asked the king abruptly. "He is answering all of your questions accurately and you said there wasn't any serious damage."

"I said I believe there isn't any. I want to keep him a little longer to make sure. It's wise to err on the side of caution, especially when it deals with head injuries…and to our prince of all people."

"I suppose that would be the sensible thing to do," agreed Marlena. "I just know Adam would be more comfortable in his own bedchambers."

The doctor nodded and turned his attention to Adam. "Is that true, Prince Adam? Would you like to move to your bedchambers?"

=)=)=)

Adam had lain quietly with Adora listening to the doctor and his parents discuss his and his father's health. He was glad his father seemed okay and would be allowed to leave the infirmary. That meant the doctor wasn't overly concerned and worried that something might be wrong. Despite his feelings of relief, he also felt guilty, especially when the doctor had mentioned his father's elevated blood pressure. "I caused that," he thought to himself.

His thoughts were interrupted by the doctor asking if he would like to be moved to his bedchamber. Still feeling slightly disoriented, he answered truthfully, "Maybe a little later. I don't think I could make it there without falling over."

Immediately Marlena walked around the bed to sit beside Adora as she reached for her son's hand and ran her other hand across his forehead. "Why? What's wrong?" she asked apprehensively.

Adam noticed everyone in the room was staring at him and he fidgeted under their scrutiny. "Uh, I—I…still feel off. I think I'll get dizzy as soon as I stand up."

"You probably will," the doctor agreed. "You'll feel that way for a while actually. Concussions take time to heal. You could feel its effects for weeks, months, or even years for some people."

"I don't have time to wait that long," said Adam as he felt his sister tighten her hold on him. And, he really didn't; he knew Adora had to get back to Etheria soon. Hordak wouldn't stop attacking the Rebellion because she was on Eternia. In fact, he suspected if Hordak knew of Adora's absence, he would have already made his move. No, he didn't have the time at all—he needed to get back on his feet. Skeletor wouldn't wait for him to heal either. Of that, he was certain.

"You can have all the time you need, Adam," said Randor, who was surprised by the prince's words. He didn't understand why his son would think otherwise.

=)=)=)

Skeletor eyed Evil Lyn impatiently as she walked into his throne room. He was tapping his fingers against his armrest and staring at her intently. "What is your news from the Royal Palace?" he asked.

Evil Lyn stood in front of him and said, "The king and prince are currently in the infirmary. Their actual conditions have not been released to anyone I was able to speak to." She paused to laugh and added, "I think they're trying to keep it quiet."

Skeletor also laughed and responded, "Yes, I suppose I wouldn't want my enemies to know how badly I was hurt either."

"So, what are we going to do?"

"For now, we are going to let them fall into a false sense of security and once they let their guard down, we will strike," he answered.

"And, what is our plan?"

Skeletor chuckled amusedly. "You shall see, Evil Lyn."

=)=)=)

Adora had left the infirmary earlier to join Man-at-Arms, Teela, and the Royal Guard for their midday workout routine. She had been pleasantly surprised when Duncan had invited her, but she quickly realized he must have known she would go stir crazy if she sat in the infirmary room doing nothing all day. She could only imagine how her poor brother was feeling. Despite his lazy reputation, she knew he did a lot of things daily that no one knew about, and to suddenly stop such a hectic schedule had to be jarring, to say the very least.

She walked back into the corridor after a quick shower in her bedchambers and started making her way back to the infirmary. She had only gone several steps when she heard her name being yelled from behind. When she turned around, she was surprised to see Teela jogging towards her. Even though the captain was Adam's best friend, they had never really spoken. She wondered why Teela desired to do so now.

"Hi," greeted Teela, who seemed nervous and appeared to be purposely trying to avoid looking at Adora. She glanced at the floor for a few seconds and then started looking in all directions down the corridor.

Adora raised her eyebrows in question and said, "Hi?"

Teela met her gaze briefly and said, "Um, I wanted to talk to you earlier while we were working out, but you left rather quickly when we were through."

"Yeah, I wanted to grab a quick shower before I headed back to the infirmary to see Adam."

Teela nodded, folded her arms, and started rubbing her left elbow with her right hand. "That's sort of what I wanted to talk to you about."

When Adora remained silent, she continued, "I can't tell you how sorry I am that Adam got hurt trying to save me, Adora. I want you to know that I'll never allow this to happen again."

Adora touched Teela's shoulder briefly to get her to look at her. When their eyes met, she said, "No one blames you, Teela. There was nothing you could have done. Skeletor's men got past the entire Royal Guard when they kidnapped him, and as for his fighting Beastman, you were knocked out. You couldn't have stopped him, so stop blaming yourself. Adam wouldn't like it."

Teela looked down at the floor and nodded slowly. When she looked back up, she asked, "How is he?"

"He's okay the last time I was with him. They're still keeping him in the infirmary for observation, but they released my father."

Teela widened her eyes and cried hurriedly, "Why are they releasing the king and not Adam? Is something wrong?"

"Like I said," said Adora, who moved to Teela's side to link their arms together, "they're keeping him for observation. Adam received an actual injury whereas my father did not. They're being cautious. Anyway, why don't you join me? You'll feel a lot better being able to see and talk to him."

Teela tried to pull away, but Adora wouldn't let her. "I don't want to interrupt your time with Adam or his parents'," resisted the captain.

"You wouldn't be! You're family!" chastised Adora, who started pulling Teela down the hall with her. "You know Adam loves you just as much as the rest of us."

Teela immediately stopped moving. When Adora looked at her face, she was surprised to see tears glistening there. "Teela?" she questioned.

"I should resign my post as Adam's bodyguard," she said softly. She continued to try to pull her arm away from Adora, and this time the princess let her, but Adora stopped her from leaving by grabbing her shoulders so they could face each other.

"What makes you think that? Adam would be devastated!"

Tears slipped down Teela's cheeks as she cried, "I'm supposed to protect Adam and I can't very well do that if he thinks he should be protecting me! What good am I to him if he's going to run purposely into danger to defend me while I'm running into danger to defend him? It just wouldn't work."

Adora pulled Teela to a bench she saw in the distance and they quickly sat down. Adora grabbed her hand to keep her there. She didn't know if Teela would bolt, but she knew she had to talk some sense into her. "Teela," she began and faltered when she realized she didn't quite know what to say. She didn't know the captain too well, so she didn't know what the right words would be. Regardless, she couldn't let Teela resign—Adam had enough stress already. He definitely didn't need anything added to it. She thought for several more seconds and then said, "I want to know something, Teela. He-Man has saved you plenty of times from Skeletor and his men, right?"

When the captain nodded, Adora continued, "And, you and He-Man are friends, right?"

"Of course, we are," said Teela, shaking her head. "What does that have to do with Adam?"

"If only she knew," thought Adora but aloud she said, "You and He-Man protect each other while fighting. Sure, you two would probably do it for anyone who is on your side, but you're friends. The…attachment and desire to help one another is stronger than it would be between two strangers or mere acquaintances. With the logic you're using right now with Adam, that means you should stop being a member of the Royal Guard all together, because I know He-Man would jump into danger to save you no matter the risk to himself and you would do the same for him."

"But it's different with He-Man," said Teela, who looked away from Adora. She didn't want her to see her tears.

"How is it different?"

"Because he's…he's He-Man! He's the strongest man in the universe. And, besides, He-Man isn't the crown prince. Adam is heir to the throne, and with that comes certain responsibilities."

"From my understanding, you and Father thought Adam should fight because he is the crown prince," replied Adora. She couldn't resist the opportunity to hash this particular topic out with the captain. Adam told her what Teela had said about him the numerous times he had to disappear to turn into He-Man, and she knew those things hurt him deeply.

Teela immediately exhaled a shaky breath and turned to face Adora again. "I believe the king has a different opinion, now. I know I do."

Adora was shocked. "Why?"

Teela looked to the ceiling and answered, "I couldn't bare it if something happened to him. I can't stand the thought of him putting himself in danger."

Adora wanted to smile but she tried to stay as composed as possible. "Why?" she questioned, seeing yet another opportunity to make Teela think. "What makes now any different from the times you berated Adam for running off when trouble happens? Why do you want him to now do what you used to abhor?"

"Because I didn't know any better before. Because he's the future king of Eternia. Because…I don't want to see him get hurt."

There was a lengthy pause, but Adora stayed quiet because she could tell Teela had more to say.

"Because…I love him," she whispered. Teela suddenly widened her eyes when she realized what she said. Her eyes flew to Adora, and the princess couldn't help but smile at her this time.

Teela shook her head, stood abruptly, and continued quickly, "I mean, we all love him…right? We don't want him to get hurt. He hasn't been trained to fight his entire life like I have. Adam is different. He's smart, witty, foppish, and…" She shrugged, not knowing what adjective could describe Adam accurately. "He's just…not a warrior. He isn't meant to fight. And, I refuse to let him jeopardize his life to save me. My job is to protect him, not the other way around."

Adora chuckled a little and said, "So, your solution is to resign so he'll get a new bodyguard?" Adora paused and looked at Teela seriously. "Would you be able to trust anyone else with my brother's life?"

Teela's immediate tensing told Adora the captain's true feelings on the matter. Adora wiped all expression from her face and added, "But I'm sure people will jump at the opportunity to be his bodyguard. After all, he is the prince. Whoever is chosen would be able to accompany him everywhere he goes: it would definitely bring Adam and that person closer together. They'd become best friends, just look at our fathers… Or they might even court if it was a female. I mean, you never know. Adam can choose whoever he wants to when he decides to marry, right? Who wouldn't want to jump at that opportunity? I just hope whoever is chosen as his new bodyguard will actually put Adam before his or her own wants and desires. I'm sure the king and Man-at-Arms will know who would be good choices."

Teela frowned and said loudly, "I only said I was thinking about it. I don't know what I'm going to do, but…Adam needs to know he shouldn't be so foolish."

Adora rose to her feet swiftly and wrapped her arm around Teela's again. "So, accompany me to the infirmary and tell Adam just that," she stated with a grin.

=)=)=)

Adam lay beside Cringer as he watched his mother and father play chess on the table beside his bed. They had been sitting there since Adora left to go train with the guard. Adam yawned and stretched a little. He still felt lightheaded and he wondered if some of it was from the pain medication they were probably giving him.

"Are you okay, son?" he heard Randor ask. The king seemed to be scrutinizing him for any sign that something was wrong

To avoid having to nod his head, which would surely give his father a reason to worry, he said, "I'm fine." He had been saying those words all day and his father never seemed to be tired of asking.

A soft knock interrupted their discussion, and the door opened. Everyone turned their attention to the entrance and smiled when Adora walked in. "Can Teela come in, too?" she asked abruptly.

"Of course," Adam said, not giving anyone else an opportunity to answer.

Adora nodded at the person behind her and Teela strolled into the room. "Good afternoon, Your Majesties."

Randor nodded while he studied the board whereas Marlena looked at the chronometer on the wall. "Oh, God," said Marlena, unbelievingly, "is it evening already?"

"Well, we did sleep several hours earlier," replied Adora who immediately walked to Adam's bed and sat beside him. "Hello, my brother," she whispered in greeting.

"The day has just flown by," the queen continued.

Adam looked back at his parents after greeting Adora and said, "Yes, and I'm sure you two would like an opportunity to get out of here, take a shower, walk around…something. I know staying here with me all day had to be rather dull."

"On the contrary," countered Randor, who finally made his move, "the morning hours had enough excitement to last me a year. I'm quite content right where I am."

Adora smiled knowingly. She had a feeling Adam would have trouble getting away from their father for a while. Deciding Adam probably needed a break, she replied, "But Adam is right. I bet it would be nice for you to stretch your legs and grab a shower. I did while I was out. Teela and I can stay with Adam until you get back."

"That sounds like a wonderful idea," agreed Marlena who stood and waited for her husband to do the same. "Come on, Cringer. I bet you need to go outside, as well.

As Cringer got up to follow the queen, Randor looked worriedly at Adam and said, "I don't think I should. Who knows when Skeletor might show back up."

"Dad," whined Adam, "the guard is on full alert and I have my bodyguard with me. Go!"

Randor smiled as he stood and replied softly, "You haven't called me 'dad' in a long time."

Adam blushed and then retorted playfully, "Well, it's probably because you're treating me like a child. I'll be fine. Go get cleaned up and walk around the courtyard or something."

"Yes, son," said Marlena with a laugh as she grabbed her husband's hand. "Let's go, Randor, before he tries to get up and throw us out."

Randor followed Marlena, but as he stepped through the door, he stopped, turned around, and said, "I'll be back soon, Adam."

When the door finally shut, Adam sighed gratefully. "Thanks, Adora," he mumbled. "They haven't left once all day."

"You're welcome, brother. Of course, my motives aren't completely altruistic," she replied happily. "Teela had something she wishes to discuss with you."

Adam turned his gaze to Teela and she immediately gaped at Adora who smiled back at her innocently. This was not how or when she wanted to bring the discussion up, but Adam was looking at her expectantly now. "Uh..." She looked down at the floor and decided she might as well get it over with. She rushed through her words: "I think what you did today, Adam, was totally irresponsible and the wrong thing to do. You are the Prince of Eternia, so you can't be risking your life to save a member of the guard. You are far too important. So from now on, when something like this happens, stay out of it. Let someone else handle it." She looked into Adam's widened eyes and continued slowly and softly, "Like I told your sister, I couldn't stand it if something happened to you. By the Ancients, I'm used to you running and that's…what I want you to do. I don't want you playing the hero and getting hurt."

Adam stared at Teela for several seconds in complete shock. He knew she had been upset when she learned he had gotten hurt, but he didn't know how greatly until that moment. For years, she wanted Prince Adam to be like He-Man. Now that he took a step in that direction, she completely changed her stance on the issue. She wanted him to go back to being the cowardly prince!

"Teela," he said flabbergasted. He looked at Adora briefly and then turned his attention back to his childhood friend. "I…I'm sorry that I scared you, but…I couldn't run away, Teela. They had you and the only way Skeletor would release you was if I fought Beastman. I had no other choice."

"Father would have found another way to rescue me. He would have found He-Man."

Adam closed his eyes briefly and when he reopened them, he said, "We didn't have time for He-Man. No one was allowed to leave the room. You weren't awake, Teela, so you have no idea what predicament we were in. The entire room was covered in Skeletor's men. If I hadn't agreed with Skeletor's terms, his men would have attacked everyone. I might have been hurt worse than I am, and many others would have been hurt, as well. I made the right choice and I'd do it again."

He spoke with such resolve and confidence that Teela couldn't help but collapse into a chair near the bed. "I don't like you getting hurt, Adam. I especially don't like you risking yourself for me…You're not going to make a habit out of this, are you?"

Once again, Adam looked at Adora and his twin raised her brows as if to ask, "Well, are you, brother?"

Adam turned his attention back to Teela and answered, "I would never make a habit of fighting. I will always try to find another way…but if I have to fight, I will, Teela. Isn't that why you've been training me? So I can defend myself?"

"Yes, to defend yourself…not me."

Adam pursed his lips briefly and said, "Teela, I'm not going to stand idly by when I have the power to help you if you're in trouble. You would do no less for me and…"

"BUT I'M YOUR BODYGUARD!" Teela exploded as she jumped from her seat. "I'M SUPPOSED TO RISK MY LIFE FOR YOURS! YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO RISK YOURS FOR MINE!" She then breathed deeply and continued at a more reasonable volume, "You have to accept that, Adam, or I'll have no choice but to do something about it."

"Like what?" he asked. He truly wanted to know.

"I'll go to your father and resign as your bodyguard. We won't be together, so you won't know when I'm in trouble."

Adam shook his head and then grimaced at the wave of dizziness it brought. Regardless, he didn't wait to speak, "You wouldn't be able to stay away."

Both Teela and Adora widened their eyes at that and asked, "What?"

"You heard me," continued Adam. "I know you, Teela. Regardless of who would get the job if you resigned, you would still look out for me. You would never be too far away. And, half the time, I'm with your father and you're with him. What are you going to do? Leave him too?"

Adora couldn't help but grin. "He's got you there, Teela," she thought.

Teela, on the other hand, didn't smile. She frowned and her skin turned a bright red. Whether it was from anger or embarrassment, neither Adam nor Adora could tell. "I will if I must," insisted Teela firmly.

Adam gave her a frown of his own and stated sternly, "I wouldn't let you."

Teela stopped dead at the sound of Adam's voice. She never heard him speak to her in such a tone. It not only sounded determined, it sounded cold. "You wouldn't let me what?" she asked. She was curious what he was referring to: her resigning all together or her staying away from her father when he's around.

Adam didn't hesitate when he gave his answer, "I won't let you leave me."

Teela gasped and she looked around the infirmary to make sure no staff was in the room. If anyone else had heard that, she knew they would think Adam was trying to stop her from breaking up with him. After all, Lady Luciana and Lady Morgan now thought they were in a relationship; therefore, a great deal of the court did, as well.

Deciding to set things straight just in case someone on the medical staff was eavesdropping, she said, "Who gives you the right to make that decision? We're not married and we're not courting."

Adam opened his mouth to respond but quickly shut it. He stared at her for several seconds before whispering, "I'm your prince."

=)=)=)

Man-at-Arms walked into Adam's room in the infirmary in time to hear his daughter exclaim she and Adam were not courting. When he heard Adam whisper, "I'm your prince," he decided to make his presence known.

"Teela, Adam? What's going on here?"

Teela immediately jumped and said, "Nothing, Father."

"It didn't sound like 'nothing' to me," he insisted.

Adam swallowed roughly and answered, "She's threatening to resign her position as my bodyguard."

"What?" Man-at-Arms exclaimed. "Oh, my daughter, how many times do I have to tell you that you did nothing wrong?"

"This has nothing to do with what I did, Father," explained Teela. "It has to do with Adam's actions. As I explained to Adam and Adora, I cannot do my job adequately if he's risking his life to save mine. My position as bodyguard would be pointless."

Duncan stared at Teela for several seconds before saying, "Well, she does have a point, Adam."

"What?" asked Adam and Adora simultaneously. Today was definitely a day for surprises.

Duncan walked past Teela so they could see his face but she couldn't. "Today has changed nothing. Adam must run when danger comes so he can…find a way to help." He had raised his eyebrows during the pause.

"Find a way to help?" said Teela, calmly. She was glad her father was on her side. He usually always sided with Adam. "No, let's just say he shouldn't risk his life in those moments at all."

Adam sighed and said to Duncan, "But I can't always run and maybe I don't always need to."

Man-at-Arms frowned and said, "We discussed this during the king's royal tour, remember? Beastman got your father because you didn't run."

"What?" asked Teela. "What are you talking about?"

Ignoring Teela, Man-at-Arms continued, "But that really doesn't matter anyway. You are unable to run anywhere right now for the foreseeable future, which means you're on vacation." He turned to Adora and continued, "Ironically, I came here to see you, to discuss you possibly staying on Eternia while Adam recuperates. I have no doubt your father will send soldiers to help things run smoothly in the Whispering Woods while you're away. And, of course, we'll be able to find out if the Rebellion runs into any trouble through the Sorceress."

Adam sat up a little more in bed and folded his arms across his chest. "What do you mean I'm on vacation?" He glanced at Teela briefly and then back at Man-at-Arms while he said, "I hope you're not thinking what I think you're thinking."

Teela furrowed her brow at Adam confusedly. "What?" she questioned. "What are you talking about, Adam?"

Adam glanced at her and responded, "I don't know. Ask them."

Teela looked at her father expectantly, but he kept his eyes on Adam. "You know what I'm talking about. You needed a vacation before your battle with Beastman. We need you to rest and heal, Adam. Your condition mentally and physically is nothing to take lightly."

Adam sighed and said, "But Duncan, Adora can't stay here for a long period of time. The Rebellion needs her. If helping the rebels were that simple, we would have sent soldiers long ago so Adora could stay on Eternia. You know as well as I do that things are a lot more complicated than that."

"Desperate times call for desperate measures, brother," said Adora as she squeezed her brother's hand comfortingly.

Man-at-Arms continued, "And, really our situation is direr. The Rebellion is protected by the Whispering Woods. We have no such protection on Eternia. We are sitting ducks without…" He paused as he looked at Teela. He couldn't finish his thought.

Everyone stood silent for several long moments. Finally, Teela had enough. "Why do I get the feeling that King Randor was right, Father? You have been keeping secrets concerning Adam," she said as she walked to the door. "Well, by all means, let me leave so you can speak freely."

"Teela," called Adam, but she quickly left and shut the door. Teela started to walk away but her mind drifted back to her earlier thoughts. The medical staff could have been eavesdropping on their conversation then. It was expected. Everyone always spied on the Royalty when given the chance. Why couldn't the Captain of the Guard get in on the action, as well? She looked around to make sure no one was paying any attention and walked back to the door. She bent down carefully so she wouldn't make a sound and pressed her ear to the small crack under the door.

=)=)=)

"Like I was saying," Man-at-Arms continued several seconds after Teela shut the door, "we're sitting ducks without He-Man. We don't have a magical forest shielding us from Skeletor's attacks."

Adora started nodding. "He has a point, Adam."

Adam, on the other hand, frowned and spat, "Who says we don't have He-Man?"

"Adam, you can't even get up and walk without being dizzy right now! How in the world do you expect to fight Skeletor if he shows up?" questioned Adora.

Adam shrugged and said, "Who says I'll be dizzy?" He smiled and said, "When I turn into He-Man, usually my injuries heal."

"Not recent ones," countered Man-at-Arms.

"Because a lot of those occurred as He-Man. This one occurred as Prince Adam. It'll heal," reasoned Adam. "Besides, no one is around right now and we do have She-Ra. She can heal me with her sword."

Adora immediately dropped her head to Adam's shoulder and said, "Oh, my brother, don't you remember? My sword can only do so much. It didn't heal all your prior injuries as Adam or He-Man when we tried on Etheria. And, it doesn't soothe away fatigue and stress."

Adam wrapped his arm around his sister and smiled. "But it will heal the concussion if my changing doesn't," he insisted. "That will be enough to ensure that He-Man will be ready if and when Skeletor shows up again."

Adora pulled away, stood up, and said, "I'll try to heal you, Adam, but I think Man-at-Arms agrees with me when I say you and He-Man will still be on vacation. Like Teela said earlier, I couldn't bear it if something happened to you. I'm not going to let you push yourself to the brink of exhaustion just because you've decided you don't need any help."

Adam didn't like that his sister had pulled away from him. He frowned at her protest and stated, "It's not that I've decided I don't need help. I actually don't want to take too many risks. We don't know what might happen next and I need to be able to turn into He-Man and fight just in case he's needed."

"Adam, you won't have to turn into He-Man," said Man-at-Arms. "We will have it covered."

"No!" said Adam, loudly but calmly. "We don't know that."

Man-at-Arms shook his head at Adam's stubbornness and was about to respond when he heard something at the door. "What was that?" he asked as he started walking towards it.

"What was what?" the twins asked.

Man-at-Arms was afraid he knew: it sounded like a voice—Teela's voice.

=)=)=)

Teela gasped in shock. "By the Ancients!" she exclaimed and she quickly got to her feet. Her father was heading to the door. She backed away hurriedly only to run into someone.

"Teela, what's wrong? What in the name of the Ancients were you doing on the floor?"

The captain knew that voice. It was King Randor. She turned around just as her father stepped into the hall.

"Teela," Man-at-Arms said sharply.

She didn't know what to do; she froze.


	29. She Knows

Noticing Adam Chapter 29

For the second time that day, she froze. She didn't know how to move her lips or her legs. Either ability would have been sufficient at that point. The first time she froze, she had been on the floor pressing her ear against a small crack, straining to hear any bits of information that might float her way. Almost immediately, Adam, Adora, and her father had begun discussing He-Man not being available. This had immediately alarmed Teela, but that wasn't what sent such a debilitating shock to her system. It was what Adam had said:

"When I turn into He-Man, usually my injuries heal."

From that moment forward, the Captain of the Guard had been unable to move. If a nurse or doctor had seen her and asked her to move, she wouldn't have been able to do so. She could only lay there and continue to listen. Eventually, though, as they continued to discuss He-Man's—or should she say "Adam's"—health, she had found herself able to move and think again.

By the Ancients! Adam was He-Man! How was that possible?

And, as this revelation continued to swirl in her mind, Teela had realized she had spoken aloud. Footsteps had been heading to the door at that point and she had quickly risen to get away.

What she hadn't counted on was King Randor's presence.

"Teela, what's wrong? What in the name of the Ancients were you doing on the floor?" he had asked, just as her father had walked into the main part of the infirmary and said her name sharply.

She stood there silently, sure that she looked like a lunatic just gaping at everyone.

"Teela?" the king questioned again.

"Your Majesty," said Man-at-Arms, who quickly wrapped an arm around her shoulders, "please allow me to attend to Teela. I think Kobra Khan's gases are still affecting her."

Randor nodded, accepting this explanation to the captain's weird behavior. "You might want to have her checked out. She was on the floor when I walked in. She must have passed out."

Man-at-Arms twirled around in front of his daughter but kept his arm around her shoulder. "Is that what happened, my daughter?" He had a feeling Randor had just given his daughter a good way to lie, but he knew as surely as she was standing there that she had heard Adam's secret.

Teela blinked rapidly and finally exhaled the deep breath she had been holding. "Yes," she whispered.

Duncan quickly replied, "Okay, let's get you checked out." He, then, turned back to the king and nodded in appreciation.

Randor placed a hand on his man-at-arms' shoulder and said, "Keep me posted on how she is."

"Yes," he agreed, "and you do the same with Adam."

After Randor walked into Adam's infirmary room to undoubtedly check on his children, Duncan used a finger to raise Teela's chin and said, "You and I need to have a talk."

She allowed herself to be escorted through the halls, but as soon as she walked into the safety of her rooms and her mind had cleared again, all hell broke loose.

=)=)=)

Adam and Adora stared at the door with their mouths opened. They both heard Man-at-Arms all but shout Teela's name. When he walked away from the door, the twins looked nervously at each other.

"Do you think she never left?" asked Adora, who immediately sat back on the bed as Adam rose to sit against the headboard.

Adam grabbed his head with one hand and groaned as the room spun again for a few seconds. "I don't know," he answered, squeezing his eyes shut and breathing deeply for a moment, "but I have to get up. If Teela heard, she's going to go ballistic. I have to help Man-at-Arms."

Adora put her hand on her brother's shoulder to keep him from rising and said, "I'm sure he can handle his own daughter. You need to stay in this bed until you're feeling better."

Adam squinted his eyes at his sister and cocked one side of his mouth. Adora read the expression perfectly: "Are you crazy?" Instead of actually saying this, Adam replied, "You don't know our captain the way I do. She doesn't like surprises, especially those of this magnitude. Even when we were kids, she couldn't stand to be out of the loop, and that's exactly what's been going on, sis. She isn't going to like this one bit and she's going to let everyone know just that."

Adora smirked and quipped, "It sounds like you're afraid of Teela." She then laughed a little but stopped when her brother simply stared at her. "Adam?"

"I'm not scared of her in the sense that you mean," he said, "but I'm scared of losing her, of this driving her away. She's my best friend and she's going to be upset that I didn't share the biggest secret I ever had with her. She's going to feel…betrayed."

"You had no choice. The Sorceress swore you to secrecy. She saw what happened with our father when we wanted to tell him. That whole situation should tell her we are in an impossible situation—we can't even tell our own father. She can't hold this against you."

Adam shook his head slowly and said, "If she takes the time to think about it before she explodes, she might, might, realize that, but sis, the chances of that are slim. Teela explodes and asks questions later. That's just the way she is."

Adora got up from the bed and said, "Well, regardless, you're still not getting out of this bed. I'll go and handle the fallout if need be, but…" She grew silent as her father walked into the room.

"Is everything okay in here?" questioned the king.

"Yes, Father," he said nervously. "Why do you ask?"

"No reason in particular. Teela fainted just outside your door, and I don't know—it's got me a little on edge, I suppose. We have all been through enough recently," he explained.

Adam widened his eyes. "Teela passed out?" Instantly, Adam tried to get out of bed, but Randor and Adora rushed to him to push him back down.

"Where do you think you're going?" asked Randor, keeping a firm grip on his shoulder.

Adam looked up at his father in a panic and said, "I have to see if she's okay! What happened?"

Randor sat on the edge of the bed and relaxed his grip on Adam when his son calmed, but he left it there just in case. "We think Kobra Khan's sleep gas is still affecting her. She got up from the floor and was leaving when I arrived. I think she's okay. Man-at-Arms went with her to get checked out. I'm sure we'll hear something soon."

Adam glanced at Adora, who also looked concerned. What was the truth? Did Teela hear their conversation or had she really passed out? Adam didn't know which to hope for.

=)=)=)

Man-at-Arms escorted Teela into her bedchambers and sat her down on the edge of her bed. As her father knelt before her, her mind kept going over the fact that Adam was He-Man. Her mind supplied evidence after evidence that this had to be true. Eventually, Teela leaned forward and mumbled, "How could I be so stupid? How could I have not seen this before?"

At that moment, Duncan knew without a doubt that his daughter knew the twins' secret. "Teela, I can explain," he began.

Startled, Teela looked up. It looked like she had just become aware of his presence. She immediately jumped to her feet and screeched, "YOU CAN EXPLAIN?"

"Teela," he said sharply, but she walked away and started pacing in the middle of the room.

"I'VE BEEN WORRIED SICK ABOUT ADAM RECENTLY!" she yelled. "WE ALL HAVE BEEN, AND YOU KNEW THIS ENTIRE TIME AND DIDN'T TELL ME! WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU? AND, WHY DIDN'T HE TELL ME?"

Man-at-Arms stood and grabbed his daughter's shoulders. "You knew he had a secret. Adam admitted as much to you and the king, but he has been sworn to secrecy. You know that."

Teela shook her head irately and said, "But the Sorceress said he couldn't tell King Randor! She didn't say anything about me!"

Duncan sighed and said, "The Sorceress said no one could know, and actually, she did say your name specifically, years ago, when He-Man first showed up."

At that, Teela stopped trying to pull away from her father and calmed down. "Why?" she asked. "Why would she not want me to know?"

Duncan looked down at the floor and squeezed his eyes shut. He knew she wasn't going to like his answer. "I can't tell you that," he whispered. "There is an answer, and one day you will know but I won't be the one to tell you."

Teela pulled away from her father abruptly and went to her bed. Tears poured from her eyes and she cried, "You mean there are more secrets?"

Duncan nodded morosely.

She jumped up again, disgusted that she was crying, and screamed angrily, "I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS! EVERYTHING HAS BEEN A LIE! EVERYTHING!"

"What has been a lie?" questioned Man-at-Arms, feeling completely lost as to what to do.

Teela glared at him and said icily, "I always thought you and I were honest with each other. I never thought you would keep secrets from me, especially ones like this."

"Teela, it wasn't my secret to tell," he whispered.

She heard his words but ignored them. "I thought Adam was my best friend, but he's been lying to me this whole time! I don't even know who he is anymore!" She shook her head and continued, "My entire career is a lie! I'm Adam's bodyguard, but he doesn't really need me! He's He-Man! His defeating Beastman had nothing to do with our combat lessons…HE DIDN'T EVEN NEED COMBAT LESSONS!"

"Now, that's not true," stated Duncan firmly.

Teela stared defiantly at him and spat, "Oh, really? Then tell me what the truth is."

Man-at-Arms sat down on the edge of her bed, hunched over, took his helmet off, and placed his head in his hands. "Adam received the Power Sword when he was just a boy. He had just turned eighteen. He hadn't been trained to fight, not really. Sure, he watched you and the guard and participated when he could, but he had little to no fighting experience. The Sorceress and I dropped a huge responsibility of the defense of Eternia in his lap. Can you imagine what it's been like for him, Teela? He's had to learn everything on the go. Sure, Adam's innate intellect and He-Man's speed and strength helps him, but it was you and your lessons that gave him the skills he needs to continue the fight. I can't tell you how many times I've seen He-Man use a move that I know you taught him. He didn't know them beforehand." He paused and looked up at Teela sadly. "Please don't take this out on him. He wanted to tell you but he couldn't."

Feeling suddenly very lightheaded and breathing erratically, Teela kneeled to the ground and sat down. Father and daughter stared at each other momentarily before Duncan settled down in front of her and held her to him, rocking gently.

"I'm sorry, dearheart. I'm so sorry you had to find out like this," he whispered.

Teela relaxed against her father and wrapped her arms around him in return. Neither knew how long they sat there, but eventually, Teela pulled back, sniffling and wiping the tears from her eyes. She met her father's stare with her own and stated softly, "I've been so cruel to him, Father."

As they had sat on the floor, Teela reflected on all the implications of Adam's secret. She thought back to all the times she had berated Adam for being late or missing for long periods of time. Now, it was apparent that his absences were no doubt due to his being He-Man. Not to mention, she told him to his face several times that he had no skills and reminded him that he was supposed to be a prince. And, she couldn't even think about all the things she said behind his back to her father.

She glared at him and asked, "Why didn't you stop me?"

Duncan cleared his throat before replying, "What could I have said that would have stopped you? I tried at first, but I found over the years that saying nothing silenced you quicker." At Teela's grimace, he continued, "I'm sorry but it's true."

"I know," she admitted. "I just…can't believe it. He's been going through so much for the past two years and I didn't even know. In fact, I made things worse, I'm sure."

She paused as she remembered berating Adam in front of his parents not too long ago. It was the one time he had stood up to her. He had pounded the table and questioned her right to say anything about him when He-Man saved her all the time after she acted foolishly. She stated aloud, "It's been Adam this whole time saving me. I accuse him of acting foolishly, but it's really been me."

Man-at-Arms hugged her to him again and said, "Now, don't be too hard on yourself. You didn't know. Adam, as it turns out, is a very good actor. You were only reacting to the facts that were before you."

The captain pulled back and said, "But the signs were there that he was He-Man, too! I can't believe I never realized it before! I've stated multiple times that I never see Adam and He-Man together. You mentioned a Power Sword earlier…Is that how he changes? Now I realize they do have the same sword. Not to mention, it now makes sense why he freaked out every time he lost the stupid thing."

She paused, jumped up, and said, "Oh, by the Elders!"

"What?"

"Remember the time I begged He-Man to find Adam? I told him to give Adam a piece of his mind after he ran away, chasing Cringer, when we thought the Rock People were attacking that little boy and girl."

Man-at-Arms stood and laughed a little, trying to lighten the mood. "He-Man did say Adam would know how he felt about the whole thing, and he certainly did. He very much approved."

Teela shook her head as more tears came to her eyes.

"Teela?"

"What were you going to do then?" she asked, wiping at her eyes to keep them from falling.

At her father's confused expression, she explained, "He-Man's sword was lost. You thought it had melted in the center of the planet. That's what you told me when you got back. What were you going to say? Were you and He-Man going to allow everyone to believe Adam was dead?"

Duncan swallowed roughly. He hadn't expected such questions so soon after the revelation. "We would have had no choice," he answered honestly.

"And, what was Adam going through at that time? Where would he have gone? The palace is his home, not He-Man's, as far as anyone knew! Not to mention, we would have probably asked him to look for himself. He would have seen the tears and heartache when we realized he was gone. He would have had to console us and yet not tell us he was very much still alive. Oh, Ancients!" Tears flowed harder than before. She couldn't hide them any longer.

"It didn't happen, Teela," Man-at-Arms comforted. "Orko saved the sword. Don't think about all the 'what ifs.' The truth is that Adam is alive and okay…"

"But he's gone through so much alone!" she exclaimed. "No wonder he's been acting so irrationally recently! It's had to have taken its toll on him!"

"Yes," agreed Duncan.

Teela shook her head again. "It was Adam who suffered the brunt of the explosion at Grayskull," she whispered. "That's what started all of this recently. That's why you were dragging him to his room that night."

"Teela, don't drive yourself crazy. Just try to calm down."

Teela widened her eyes at her father. "I can't help it. There are so many instances when Adam could have died. When I thought it was just He-Man…I don't know, it was more bearable, but to know that it's Adam…it changes everything."

After a pause, she continued almost in a crazed wonder, "And, I'm surprised everyone in Eternia doesn't know! We're all stupid. How could we not realize when Adora showed up? Adora and She-Ra showed up at the same time! How could we have thought that was mere coincidence?"

Man-at-Arms grabbed his daughter's shoulders again and squeezed tightly. "Teela," he said forcefully. "Calm down. You mustn't dwell too much on the past, all the things you should have noticed, and how you've treated Adam. It won't do him or you any good, believe me." He raised his hands to her face and cupped them gently, making sure they were looking each other in the eye when he said his next words: "But now that you do know, you can help him cope. The ancients know I try my best, but I realize sometimes it's hard for Adam to talk to a father figure like myself. You have always been Adam's friend and I think you could really help him."

Teela smiled through her tears and gave a small nod. She stepped back from him and Duncan let his hands fall to his side. "Can I see him now?" she asked.

Man-at-Arms nodded as he questioned, "You are calm, right?"

"Yes."

"You can't tell his father."

"I know."

"Don't be too hard on him right now. He has enough to worry about."

Teela nodded again.

"Okay," Man-at-Arms said, after taking a deep breath, "let's go."

=)=)=)

Queen Marlena and Cringer finally showed back up in Adam's infirmary room. As soon as she walked in, she knew something was wrong, but she couldn't tell exactly what it was. Her husband looked okay and unaware, but that was the norm—he was usually oblivious to things such as this when it came to Adam.

She faced her children and noticed their sunken eyes and worried expressions. They kept staring at each other every so often, almost like they wanted to talk but couldn't since Randor was in the room. That was very possible.

"Adam, what's going on?" she asked.

The prince looked to his mother and pressed his lips together in a firm line. He couldn't say all he needed to, but he answered, "Teela could be hurt. I don't know. She supposedly passed out less than an hour ago, but we haven't heard anything."

Marlena raised her brow in question to Randor.

The king noticed and immediately shrugged. "I left earlier to ask the doctor what was going on, but he claims Man-at-Arms never brought Teela to see him. I've tried to reassure Adam that is a good sign. Duncan must not have thought seeing the doctor was necessary."

Marlena started to nod to Adam to show her agreement when the infirmary door suddenly slammed open. Everyone in the room jumped at the loud bang and looked towards the door. Their gazes didn't have the time to settle on it for too long, however, because a figure ran quickly from the doorframe to Adam's bed.

Everyone watched in astonishment as Teela climbed into the bed with Adam, wrapped her arms around him tightly, and buried her face in his neck. "I'm so sorry!" she muttered a few times.

As Marlena and Randor looked at each other questioningly, Man-at-Arms walked in and shook his head at the scene. "I apologize, Your Majesties. I think Adam's kidnapping and everything that's happened with Beastman are just hitting her."

It was a believable excuse and Adam noticed that his parents nodded understandingly. When his parents turned their attention away from Man-at-Arms to look at him and Teela, he noticed Duncan gave him a little wave. When their eyes met, Duncan mouthed, "She knows."

Adam froze just as Teela had earlier. His mouth was open and he simply stared ahead of him.

"Adam?" questioned Adora, who just noticed her brother's expression after she had pulled her attention from Teela.

Adam merely sat there and wondered what this would mean. Would she be angry? It didn't seem like it, but many other questions remained: Would she tell his father? Would she agree to keep it a secret? Would she forgive him for not telling her? And, most importantly, would the Sorceress allow her to keep the knowledge? He knew it was very possible she would take it away. After all, Teela had discovered the Sorceress was her mother and the knowledge had been taken because it wasn't time for her to know. And, Adam knew as surely as he held Teela in his arms, she wasn't supposed to know this right now either.

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


	30. Teela's Realization

Noticing Adam Chapter 30

It had to be a dream. It had to be.

Adam squeezed his eyes shut, took a deep breath, and counted to ten. When he reopened his eyes, Teela was still burying her face in his neck and everyone else in the room was staring at him expectantly.

"Adam, are you all right?" asked King Randor who quickly stood and brushed his hand under his son's bangs caringly.

Teela heard the concern in Randor's voice, so she immediately popped her head up, which inadvertently knocked the king's hand out of the way, and asked anxiously, "What? What's going on? What's wrong, Adam?"

Adam met Teela's care worn eyes and smiled softly to lighten the mood. He could almost see the worry emanating from her. "I'm fine," he replied; "How about you?"

"I'm fine, too," she answered, returning his smile and then laying her head down on his shoulder.

To Adam, it seemed like she was settling in to stay for a while. He honestly didn't know how to feel about her actions—even though it was nice and he liked it, he wasn't used to being touched by Teela for so long. Sure, they hugged one another every once in a while, but it was usually because they had just escaped some dire situation where one had been scared for the other. And, the same could be said about his father. King Randor had never been one to show his emotions, especially physically. Like his father had told He-Man in Snake Mountain a while back, "It's hard for a father to say 'I love you' to his son." That seemed to be changing…

But at that particular moment, the king didn't seem to be in a loving mood. Randor grimaced at Teela and started walking away. "What in the world is that all about?" thought Adam, and then he realized his father was coming to the right side of his bed. When Randor sat beside him and smiled, he suddenly knew. "Don't tell me Father and Teela are going to start competing with one another on who is going to be near me the most!" he thought amusedly. At that moment, Adora sat in front of their father, next to his leg, and rubbed it affectionately. He most definitely had to add Adora to that list, as well, and Cringer who had suddenly jumped onto the bed beside her.

"Oh, for the love of the Ancients!" he said aloud with a laugh.

"What?" everyone questioned as they moved to look at him.

Adam continued to laugh despite the slight throbbing it caused in his head. It was just too amusing! His mother had started all of this thinking his father didn't show him enough attention or notice him at all. Now, he had a feeling he was going to need a crowbar to pry his entire family and Teela off of him!

"Nothing," he replied with another laugh.

Teela looked up and met the prince with her sharp gaze. "Are there to be more secrets, Adam?" she asked inquisitively.

Immediately, the light atmosphere that Adam had found himself in ended abruptly and disappeared. He couldn't tell what Teela was thinking. It was possible she was seriously questioning him or teasing him; regardless, her question had hit him right in the gut. He frowned and whispered, "No more than there has to be."

=)=)=)

King Randor watched disapprovingly as his son's joyful countenance changed to one of remorse and guilt. He frowned at Teela and felt the sudden desire to dismiss the captain. She hadn't been in the room for two minutes and she had already ruined everyone's good mood.

"I think," said the king firmly, "we've had enough visitors for the day. Thank you for stopping by, Teela and Man-at-Arms. I believe we'll have a light dinner and turn in for the afternoon. Maybe you could visit tomorrow."

Man-at-Arms nodded, pulled on Teela's arm, and replied, "Of course, Your Majesty."

As for Teela, she furrowed her brows, pulled away from her father, and remained on the bed next to Adam. "I would like to join you for dinner if Adam doesn't mind," she said softly.

Adam immediately sighed in relief. If Teela was mad at him, she wouldn't be volunteering to eat with them or remaining in his arms. He smiled at Teela, but before she could give him one of her own, Randor stated, "I don't think that would be wise right now."

Adam turned to look at his father questioningly. "Why not?" he asked.

Randor contemplated what he should say. He knew if he stated the real reasons, Teela would undoubtedly show that fiery temper Marlena said all redheads have. He had seen it in action, after all, with Marlena and he had even seen it before with Teela. It wasn't a pleasant sight, but he was the king and she was the captain…and she had better know her place.

"I think you should relax and limit your exposure to stressful situations," he answered with a quick glance to the captain. He hoped Teela would see his gesture and words for what they were: a nicely veiled reproach for her actions.

Teela obviously didn't catch onto the nicety of his words, because she immediately sat up and asked sharply, "What does that mean? Having dinner with family and friends is hardly stressful!"

"Uh oh!" said Cringer as he jumped from the bed, went under a nearby table, and covered his eyes with his paws. Adam was the only one who seemed to notice.

Randor, on the other hand, cocked an eyebrow and said, "Oh, really, Captain." He hoped his emphasis on her title would cool the hostility she was currently displaying. He didn't want her behavior to get any worse in front of Adam. "Well, I know I'm becoming rather temperamental with this conversation, so who knows how Adam is feeling right now. Stressed is probably high on the list right about now."

Teela immediately looked at Adam who was staring at his father incredulously. Before she could open her mouth to say something, Man-at-Arms grabbed Teela by her upper arm and pulled her from the bed. He knew from his daughter's expression that she was about to explode and that surely wouldn't be a wise thing to do, especially since he could tell Randor was annoyed with her.

"We are sorry to have disturbed you, Your Majesties," he said in hopes of calming everyone down. "I hope you enjoy your dinner and have a good night's rest. Teela and I will visit you tomorrow."

Glad that Duncan was removing his daughter, he smiled gratefully and said, "Thank you. We'll see you, then."

As the door closed and Randor leaned back against the headboard next to his son, Adam turned to him and asked unsurely, "What was that?"

=)=)=)

Man-at-Arms pulled Teela through the infirmary and out into the main corridor so they could head to his workshop to talk. His daughter, however, had other ideas. As soon as the infirmary doors closed, she turned around to stare at him and asked confusedly, "What just happened?"

Duncan looked around the corridor and saw the number of guards Randor had assigned to the area. Undoubtedly, the king had no intention of letting any of Skeletor's men get to his son again, but that also meant they had plenty of listening ears around them. "We'll talk about that in a minute," he replied. He led Teela through the halls and she followed obsequiously.

Once they were in his workshop and they were seated at his workbench, he said, "I think the king was…rather annoyed with you."

Teela opened her mouth to say something but then closed it for a few moments. Finally, she said, "Why is he annoyed with me? I didn't do anything!"

Duncan patted Teela on the hand and answered, "It could have been any number of things: he might want some private family time, especially since it's so rare Adora is on Eternia. We interrupted that. It could also be that you brought up Adam's secret and I must admit that stifled Adam's laughter rather quickly. Also, maybe he didn't want to fight with you for Adam's attention tonight. Your actions and presence did send Adam for a loop when we first arrived."

Teela listened to her father's words but she had trouble wrapping her mind around it. "Are you telling me that the king thinks I…have a negative impact on Adam? That's ridiculous!"

"Now, Teela…" Man-at-Arms began.

"I've just discovered who Adam really is, Father!" she exclaimed. "I've just found out how horribly I've been treating him, and now, you're telling me his father won't let me anywhere near him so that I can apologize and make it up to him? And, this is a father who has upset his son far more than I ever did!"

"Teela…" he tried again.

But Teela kept going. "No! He's not going to keep me away from Adam!"

"And, you are blowing this out of proportion!" chastised Man-at-Arms.

Teela stopped and stared at her father as if he had slapped her.

"Teela, I commend you for realizing how hard everything has been on Adam and that you want to be there for him, but…you just hit the nail on its head. Randor has upset Adam recently far more than you ever did, and that's why they need to spend quality time together. You can't blame the king for wanting that. And, if he's doing it because you accidentally killed Adam's good mood, you can't blame him for that either. He's protecting his son. It's not like he said you couldn't come back tomorrow. In fact, he's the one who suggested that we should."

Teela sighed and breathed deeply. "I just have so much I want to say to Adam," she whispered, finally calming down. "I want him to know how sorry I am and how much I care."

"You'll have the opportunity to tell him," Man-at-Arms assured her.

Teela shook her head and said, "If there's anything recent events have taught me, it's that we never know what might happen at any given moment. You say I'll have that opportunity, but can you say that with one hundred percent confidence?"

"It's likely that you will get that chance, my daughter," answered Duncan with a kiss to her forehead. "Don't worry so much. Adam will be here in the morning."

His words offered her no comfort.

=)=)=)

Adam waited for his answer, but Randor merely stood and went to the door. He watched as his father stuck his head out and spoke with someone. He couldn't hear what was being said since the sounds were muffled by the door.

When the king walked back into the room, he smiled at his family and said, "I just gave orders for dinner to be served here tonight."

"That sounds like a wonderful idea," replied Marlena, knowing Adam had to be famished since he only received light foods throughout the day.

Adam's stomach growled loudly in response which caused Adora to laugh, but despite his body's interest in dinner, he said, "You are going to answer me, aren't you?"

Randor returned to the bed and sat down facing him. "What was your question?" he asked.

"What happened with Teela? Why did you ask her and Man-at-Arms to leave the room?"

Randor glanced at Marlena and Adora, wondering how everyone would react. But he realized it was too late to worry about his decision since it was already done. "She put a damper on your good mood, so I thought I'd help the situation by…"

"She didn't damper my mood," interrupted Adam sharply.

Randor grimaced and replied calmly, "Now, Adam, you were laughing until she asked you about having more secrets. Who knows where she might have taken that discussion if I hadn't intervened."

"It wasn't going anywhere," he replied. "The fact that she wanted to stay for dinner and was still hugging me instead of punching me stated as much."

"Well, I didn't want to risk it."

It was on the tip of Adam's tongue to snap at his father for chasing Teela away and having no remorse over it, but he stopped himself. He didn't want to go back to all the yelling and fighting. He could see it going that way if he didn't remain civil. It was clear to Adam now that he knew how to push his father's buttons without meaning to and he knew how to push his. And, neither one of them were in any condition for a fight, whether it was physical or verbal.

Randor watched the emotions play across Adam's face as he contemplated his actions towards Teela. Not wanting his recent good luck with Adam to end, he said softly, "I'm sorry if I made the wrong choice. I just wanted to protect you. I…I know Teela is your friend. I consider her one of mine, as well, but we both know how Teela can be sometimes and…" He shrugged. He didn't know how else to explain his actions.

Adam smiled in response. His father was definitely trying to keep the peace between them. Usually his father didn't apologize for his decisions. It wasn't something he was accustomed to doing, and he certainly wouldn't utter those words to Teela, but it was nice that he did tell him. Also deciding to make the effort, Adam replied, "And, I understand why you felt the need to interfere. I do know how Teela can be, but…she wasn't going to be that way this time." After a pause, he added with a grin, "I don't think…"

At that, the entire Royal Family laughed.

Randor wrapped his arm around Adam's shoulders and replied, "You don't think? That's enough to justify my actions to me."

Adam smirked at his father and pushed on him playfully.

Randor smiled and brought his arm up to push him back, but he quickly stopped himself. "You are so lucky you have a concussion right now!"

"Yeah, yeah," Adam said disbelievingly.

Adora and Marlena now sat in the chairs by the bed and smiled at one another as they listened to the banter between father and son. Adora leaned closely to her mother and whispered, "Maybe your efforts weren't in vain after all." Marlena wrapped her arm around Adora and squeezed gently.

=)=)=)

It was past midnight and the palace was quiet. There were a multitude of guardsmen on duty. King Randor and she were taking no chance of Skeletor or any of his men showing up at night to surprise them again. Because of that decision, it made what she was doing now that much harder.

Teela walked carefully down the halls and tried to avoid being seen. Despite her father's words that afternoon, she wanted to see Adam. She wanted to speak with him about his secret and her thoughts in general. She didn't feel like she could wait until morning.

She was almost to the infirmary when she stopped her stealthy pace. She straightened her back and walked confidently to the infirmary doors. She looked at the guards stationed there coolly and stated, "I'm checking the perimeter." Without waiting for a reply, she entered the infirmary and headed for Adam's door.

Without knocking, she eased the door open and stuck her head inside. Adam was sleeping in the bed with Adora and the king and queen were asleep on a large couch they brought into the room at some point. She sighed in disappointment. She had thought the Royal Family would wish to sleep in their own rooms that night. Instead, they were in Adam's room impeding her efforts. Grumbling, she thought about how she could get Adam alone. She looked around the room and her eyes settled on the lavatory door. "Of course," she thought with a grin.

She eased the door shut again and strolled over to an empty desk. She picked up a sheet of paper and stripped pieces off to roll into tiny balls. With several in tow, she walked back to Adam's door and opened it again carefully.

The room was dark but she was confident her plan would work. She stuck half her body into the room, took a paper-ball in her hand, and aimed carefully. She tossed it across the room and it landed right on Adam's cheek and rolled into his hair.

Getting nothing more than a twitch, Teela tried again. This time she hit Adam right in the nose and he immediately opened his eyes. The captain covered her mouth as she tried to hold in her laughter. Despite her lack of sound, her movement caught Adam's attention. She waved at him, pointed to the door across the room, slipped inside quietly, and made her way to the lavatory.

=)=)=)

Adam smiled as he watched Teela tiptoe to her destination. He looked down at Adora and wondered how he was going to detangle himself from her since their arms and legs were intertwined. He didn't know how that happened. After a few unsuccessful attempts, Adora opened her eyes. "Adam, what's wrong? What are you doing?" she asked softly.

"I have to…go to the little boy's room," he whispered.

Adora let go of her hold on him as Adam sat up and swung his feet to the floor. His head was pounding, so he held his hand to it temporarily as he breathed in deeply.

The sound of his father's voice startled him. Adora and he must have woken him up. "Do you need help getting there?"

He hadn't needed help earlier and he couldn't need it now. He smiled in the dark and whispered, "No, I can manage."

Adam pushed himself off the bed and as quietly as he could manage, he dizzily made his way into the bathroom. As soon as he entered the room and shut the door, Teela rushed into his arms and hugged him fiercely.

Adam held Teela tightly but had the foresight to know that he should turn on the lights and move farther into the room. "Let's go farther inside so they don't hear us," he whispered into her ear.

Teela nodded, grabbed Adam by the hand, and pulled him to the toilet. Setting the lid down, she pushed Adam onto it softly and she took a seat on the edge of the tub.

"Thank you for coming so quickly," she said softly.

Adam grinned and replied, "It isn't like I had much choice. I could only imagine what Father's reaction would have been if he walked in here and you rushed into his arms."

Teela held her hand over her mouth and when she uncovered it, she lightly popped him on the arm. "Don't make me laugh," she hissed.

"So," said Adam, staring at her intently, "what's on your mind, Captain?"

Teela met Adam's gaze straight on and didn't waver. "I think you know."

Adam took a deep breath and said, "I didn't want you to find out this way. Were you listening at the door?"

Teela looked down, feeling more than a little embarrassed. "Yes," she admitted. "I know I shouldn't have done it, but I was angry that all of you were talking in riddles around me. It felt like a slap to my face. It was like you thought I couldn't be trusted."

"It wasn't that," he replied as he rubbed her arm affectionately. "I wanted to tell you for so long, but I promised the Sorceress that I wouldn't."

Teela nodded and whispered even more softly, "But I know now."

Adam watched as Teela met his gaze once more and showed him a dazzling smile. He immediately grinned back, and Adam felt like this was one of the best moments of his life. "And, in a lavatory, of all places!" he thought.

Still smiling, Teela glanced at the door and then back at Adam. "The reason I wanted to meet you in here was so I could tell you how sorry I am for how I've treated you in the past. I feel horrible…"

Adam placed a finger on her lips and said, "Don't. You acted the way you did, based on the information I allowed you to have. I always understood why you reacted to me the way you did. It wasn't your fault. It's…okay."

Teela reached her hand up and pulled his hand from her mouth. She held it in hers and responded, "No, it's not okay. You've always been my best friend since we were kids and I should have known something was up when you changed so drastically. I'll admit I was confused, but I shouldn't have accepted it so easily."

Adam laughed a little, glanced at the door nervously, and then whispered, "But you didn't! That's why you always snapped at me and insulted me. Don't you see? You knew, Teela, that the person I was portraying wasn't me. You knew the real me…and you wanted to see that person again. Only, I wouldn't show him to you."

Teela squeezed Adam's hand and stared into his eyes. "I see him now."

"Yes," he replied. "And, what do you think about Adam and He-Man now? I'm not the cowardly Prince Adam or the infallible He-Man."

Scooting closer on the tub to Adam, she took his other hand into hers, as well. "No, I now know that you're somewhere in the middle. You've always had your amazing wit no matter what Prince Adam you were portraying and now I know you do have courage…He-Man's courage."

They stared at each other for a moment and Teela gasped, remembering a moment between herself and He-Man. He had once asked her what kind of man she would prefer, and her answered had been, "I guess I'm looking for a…a man with Adam's wit and your courage. But where would I find him?"

Teela swallowed roughly. No wonder she had trouble all this time deciding between Adam and He-Man. They were the same person! Had her heart somehow known it was impossible to choose one over the other?

"Teela?" whispered Adam as she continued to stare at him silently. "Teela?" He shook her arm a little.

Finally, Teela took a deep breath and licked her lips a little.

"Are you all right?"

"Yeah," she answered.

"Are you sure?" he asked to reassure himself and her.

She nodded.

Adam looked down at their adjoined hands. He wasn't used to holding her hands, but he didn't move them away. He looked back into her eyes and whispered softly, "What are you thinking?"

Teela looked down at their hands, as well, and then brought her gaze up to meet his again. "Do you really want to know?"

At Adam's nod, she flung her arms around Adam's neck and kissed him deeply. Instantly, Adam wrapped his arms around Teela and kissed her back. Her lips were softer than he had always imagined they would be. Despite the bliss of her actions, he was rather uncomfortable at their angle. He was sitting forward and turned to the side where she was sitting on the bathtub. With his concussion, he was starting to feel a little woozy. Or maybe that was from the kiss?

Regardless, he pulled back, kept one arm around her back, and brought the other to her wrist. He tugged softly and she followed his silent orders as he pulled her where he wanted her. On her knees before Adam and between his legs, she leaned forward and kissed him again.

This time, now that Adam was comfortable, he was able to enjoy their kiss more than before. He ran his tongue across her lips and she quickly opened her mouth to allow him access. As their tongues dueled, he couldn't believe this was happening. And, just as Adam was about to deepen the kiss even more by pulling Teela hard against him, he heard the sounds of the door opening quickly and a startled gasp.


	31. Meanings of a Kiss

Noticing Adam Chapter 31

Adam tore his lips from Teela, looked up to see who had walked in, and quickly gasped. Of all the people in his room, why did it have to be…him?

King Randor stood there completely immobilized for a moment. It was as if his brain were having trouble comprehending what he was seeing. After several passing seconds, the king finally shook himself and narrowed his eyes.

Teela, having seen Adam's look of dismay, turned around and blushed from her head to her toes as her eyes met the king's. She immediately stood and said frantically, "Forgive me, Your Majesty. I—I came to check on Adam and..." She trailed off. What excuse could she give for what he walked in on besides what it really was?

Randor stared at Teela and asked sarcastically, "Is that what you call checking on my son?"

Teela remained quiet and started rubbing her hands together in front of her nervously. There was no way she could answer that question, so she started bouncing from one foot to the other, waiting for the inevitable reprimand.

It didn't come. Instead Randor pursed his lips and said, "I think you should return to your room, Captain. You and I will address this in the morning after breakfast. As for you, Adam, the nurse is here to check your vitals."

Teela glanced back at Adam apologetically and quickly ran from the room. She felt completely mortified and knew she wasn't going to like her morning meeting with the king. The look he had given her—one of distaste and unfriendliness—had told her as much. Tears filled her eyes as she thought about what was to possibly come: demotion, unemployment, banishment. All were possible. Any would keep her from Adam and destroy her reputation.

As Teela fled the room, Adam got to his feet, feeling more than a little awkward at having been discovered kissing the Captain of the Guard, and walked to the king. "Father…"

Randor turned back to his son after watching Teela leave and asked in a deceptively calm manner, "How many secrets have you kept from me, Adam? I know and accept that you have some secrets you can't tell me, thanks to the Sorceress…but this? How long? How long have you and the Captain been cavorting behind my back?"

Adam winced at his father's tone and the fact that he had reduced Teela to her rank. He wasn't calling her by name. He knew why the king was doing it: doing so, reduced the situation to pure disobedience in protocol. A prince shouldn't be kissing a member of his guard, especially the captain and his bodyguard. Never mind that this was Teela, she was his best friend, and he had grown up with her. Adam knew he had to fix this quickly before the king saw Teela again, so he answered desperately, "We haven't been."

Randor scowled and shook his head slowly. "Adam," whispered Randor. He squeezed his eyes shut, continuing to shake his head. When he looked at his son again, he looked infinitely melancholic. "I know better than anyone that you and I have had a lot of misunderstandings recently, and the Ancients know I don't want us to start fighting again, but…surely you can't expect me to believe you. It's obvious Teela snuck in to see you and you came to the lavatory to be alone with her. You cannot deny that."

"I don't," agreed Adam. "But we didn't plan it. It just happened."

"It just happened," repeated Randor, cynically. "Do you know how cliché that phrase is when it comes to dealings between a man and a woman?"

Adam widened his eyes. "Teela and I are not in a relationship."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better about this?" snapped the king, raising his voice. "That makes it horribly worse!"

Adam shook his head and hands in frustration. "What I mean is that we haven't done anything! This…this…this was the first time we've ever kissed. It really did just happen. She was here to discuss…" He stopped when he realized he was about to go into a topic that he couldn't share with his father.

The king waited. Finally, he sighed and asked, "She was here to discuss what, Adam?"

As Adam was about to respond, the door opened again and Marlena walked inside hurriedly. "What's going on in here?" she asked. "I heard you yelling, Randor. You promised me and the doctor you would remain calm. And, was that Teela who ran from the room? She looked upset."

Randor breathed in deeply and replied composedly, "I'm not yelling."

At Marlena's look of disbelief, he turned back to Adam and said, "Go in there. The nurse wants to check you out. You and I will discuss this later."

Adam stood there for a second in defiance, but when his mother motioned with her head silently for him to go, he sighed and left the room.

As soon as they were alone, Marlena closed the door and asked worriedly, "What's wrong, Randor? What happened?"

=)=)=)

Teela ran through the halls with tears pouring from her eyes. Instead of going to her bedchambers, she could think of only one place to go. She threw the door to her father's bedroom open and watched as he sat up quickly.

When Duncan got a good look at who interrupted his sleep, he sprung from the bed and ran to her. "Teela?" he questioned. "What's wrong? Why are you crying?"

Teela merely shook her head and buried her face into her father's chest. Man-at-Arms wrapped his arms around his daughter and held her tightly. He allowed her time to cry through her tears. He knew whatever had upset his daughter, it was huge. He hoped it was something he could easily fix, but he had a feeling that a precedent had already been set with recent problems—it would be insurmountable.

=)=)=)

Adam walked back into his infirmary room and went to his bed where Adora sat waiting for him. As soon as he sat beside her, a nurse, who was waiting by the door, came over and said, "Excuse me for interrupting you, Prince Adam. I need to get your readings."

The prince held out his arm so the nurse could take his blood pressure.

Adora could tell her brother was worried, but he also seemed a little annoyed. She scooted closer to him and whispered, "What happened in there?"

Adam turned to his sister and frowned.

At that moment, the nurse ran a thermometer over the prince's forehead to take his temperature. The nurse wrote down the results and asked, "Who's your mother?"

Adam answered, "Queen Marlena." Before the nurse could ask another question, he questioned exasperatedly, "Can we skip this for right now? I assure you that I'm fine, lucid, and remembering everything quiet well."

The nurse nodded and replied, "Of course, my prince." He bowed and left the room.

Adam turned to his sister and stated, "Father walked in at the most inopportune moment ever!" At Adora's questioning stare, he continued, "Teela snuck into the room and wanted me to follow her into the lavatory."

Adora raised her eyes in surprise but remained silent.

"Everything was going so well. We actually talked, sis. We hadn't been that open and honest in years, thanks to my secret. It was like she finally saw me again." He stared off into space.

"And?" prompted Adora.

"She kissed me," he whispered.

Adora didn't know what she had been expecting but she definitely hadn't been expecting that answer. "She kissed you?" she squeaked.

"Yeah, I know," continued Adam with a soft smile that quickly faded. "But Father walked in and ruined everything. He's angry, thinking we've been sneaking off behind his back and having an affair." He shook his head. "Are Father and I back to accusations and distrust again?"

Adora laid her head on her brother's shoulder as she wrapped an arm around his waist. "I think he might be worried," she whispered. "Things are changing so much around here. It has to be unsettling to our father. I'm sure he never thought of you and Teela as being anything more than friends. I think that would be a rather good assumption, don't you?"

"Yes," whispered Adam in agreement. "But that doesn't explain why he's so upset. I mean, yes, she's my bodyguard and the Captain of the Guard, but he knows her! He knows she's a wonderful person. She would never hurt me."

Adora lifted her head and asked abruptly, "Does he know that? I seem to recall our father making Teela leave the room earlier to make sure she didn't upset you! Not to mention, he has to question her motives. You are the Prince of Eternia, after all. Does she really care for you or is it your status?"

"Father knows better than that," stated the prince, firmly. "He knows Teela."

Adora pulled away from Adam and turned to face him completely. She sat cross-legged on the bed, shrugged, and informed him, "Truthfully, I have to question her actions, too."

Adam jumped a little, clearly startled at his sister's announcement. "What?" he questioned. He thought Adora would be the last person to speak against his potential union with Teela. She knew how he felt about her.

Adora shrugged and whispered, "She just found out you're He-Man. You told me she's always had a crush on him. I can't help but wonder if she kissed you because you're him. And, if that is the reason, what does that mean for the future? You and I both know that while He-Man and She-Ra are very much a part of us, we do not allow our true selves to show when we are them. If Teela is in love with He-Man and not Prince Adam, she's going to be disillusioned soon enough, and where will that leave you, brother? Brokenhearted, I'm afraid."

Adam shook his head and looked away from his sister. "She cares for Prince Adam. I know she does."

"I know she does, too. I know she loves them both, but who did she kiss? Prince Adam or He-Man?"

Prince Adam thought about the moment in question and answered confidently, "Both."

"Are you sure?" At Adam's frown, she said, "I'm not saying I believe one way or the other. I'm genuinely asking if you're sure."

Adam was about to nod but stopped himself. He wasn't one hundred percent sure. Teela and he hadn't talked about it. They had kissed and his father had interrupted it. The truth was he didn't know where he stood with Teela. He was getting prepared to fight his father and sister to have a relationship with her, but he now realized he had no idea if that's what she wanted. It was possible she was caught up in the moment and hadn't really meant to imply anything about their future relationship. He realized he might be projecting his own wants and interpretations onto Teela's actions.

He met his sister's eyes again and admitted, "I guess I'm not completely sure."

Adora hugged her brother tightly. "That's what I thought," she whispered. "I would feel better about this if she had kissed you before she found out you're He-Man, but…"

As Adam watched Adora shrug, he frowned when he realized he was now questioning her reasons for kissing him. The same question that had been nagging him since he received the Power Sword popped up again: who did she really want to be with? Adam or He-Man?

=)=)=)

Randor walked away from Marlena and farther into the bathroom. When he reached the sink, he turned around exasperatedly and announced, "I caught Adam and…the Captain of the Guard kissing."

Marlena widened her eyes. "Adam and Teela were kissing?" She smiled a little, but the expression quickly left as she watched her husband. He was shaking his head nonstop and looking around the room frantically. She knew his mind was all over the place. He did that when he was overanalyzing something that troubled him.

Randor, who was oblivious to his wife's reaction or observations of him, answered, "Yes, and I can tell you it was not how two friends kiss."

"I hadn't imagined it would be," Marlena replied as she walked to her husband and pulled him into her arms. "What's wrong, Randor? Please don't tell me you have a problem with Teela. She's Duncan's daughter and a very responsible young woman. I think if Adam chooses to make her his bride, she'd make a great princess and future Queen of Eternia."

The king's jaw dropped as he settled a startled gaze on her. "Who said anything about Adam taking her as his bride? He's not ready to…he's still just a boy."

Marlena smiled and laughed a little. "Oh, Randor, for quite a while now, you've been saying Adam is an adult and you want him to grow up. And now, when he finally starts doing it, you freak out. Maybe it's reminding you of how old you're getting."

Randor pulled away and said indigently, "I am not freaking out nor am I old. The truth is I'm upset with Adam and myself." He sat down on the toilet lid and shook his head again. Marlena walked to him and settled on her knees in front of him.

"Why are you upset?" she asked taking one of his hands.

The king stared into her eyes and said, "I don't like that Adam is keeping so much from me. I was just starting to accept that his behavior and secrecy wasn't his fault, but now I learn he's been keeping other secrets as well. Why would he not tell me about his relationship with Teela? I didn't even know he liked her…in that way."

Marlena squeezed her husband's hand and inquired, "What son do you know runs to his father to tell him he has a crush on a girl? I've certainly never met one."

"Maybe not, but we're not talking about a crush here. They were in here kissing in the middle of the night. That's a little beyond the crush phase. A prince must inform the king when he wants to court a young woman. There is a proper way of handling things to ensure that a scandal does not occur as well as hard feelings throughout the court. Adam has been hiding their relationship from me and I can't help but be upset about it. What else is he hiding from me that could have a number of large impacts on our lives?" Randor paused and looked down at his feet. "And, of course, I also have to question if my behavior in the past might be why he doesn't come to me about these things."

Marlena sighed as she stood and released Randor's hand. She walked toward the door but before she reached it, she turned around to face her husband. "I don't know how many secrets Adam is keeping from us," she said firmly. "And, I don't know why he keeps all of them. It may or may not have anything to do with you, but yelling about it isn't going to make him open up to you in the future. It will only make things worse."

The king frowned and said, "I know that, Marlena. I tried to hold in my reaction. The Ancients know I did, but it was difficult since it came as such a surprise. Not to mention, this is completely unprecedented. A prince courting his bodyguard?"

Marlena walked back to her husband and towered over him. Suddenly, she leaned down and kissed him on his forehead gently. "I don't think you have a right to complain about Adam doing anything unprecedented when it comes to courting, Randor," she said softly.

At his confused look, she leaned down again and whispered in his ear, "You are the one who married and had children with an alien, after all. Who are you to say Adam shouldn't court his bodyguard? At least she is an Eternian."

Startled, Randor pulled back and looked at his wife. "I didn't look at it that way," he realized.

"Obviously," the queen replied as she leaned down and kissed her husband softly. When she pulled away, Randor grabbed her by the waist and pulled her down to sit on his lap.

When they looked at each other again, Randor whispered, "But the fact still remains that Adam is still hiding things from me. And, I have to ask myself if it's appropriate for Teela to be Adam's bodyguard now that I know about their relationship. Also, there is the whole matter of Teela not coming to tell me herself. She was obligated to do so. She was ordered to tell us anything of significance when it came to Adam. It was one of her job descriptions. She knows that, and she willingly violated it."

Before Marlena could respond, Randor stood up and made sure she was on her feet before he released her waist. He then pulled her across the lavatory and said, "Let's check on Adam." The king was tired and there was nothing more that he wanted to do than fall back asleep before addressing this issue again in the morning, but first he had to make sure Adam was still in his room and behaving.

=)=)=)

The flow of Teela's tears had lessened significantly as Duncan held her in his arms and rubbed her back patiently. He didn't know what was wrong and the agony of watching her suffer without knowing were unparalleled.

When she finally pulled away from her father, Duncan reached a hand up and cupped her cheek. "What's wrong, my daughter?"

Teela sniffled a little and wiped the tears from her face. "I…I might have made a bad decision," she whispered.

"What did you do?"

Stepping away from her father and going to sit on the edge of his bed, she replied, "I went to Adam's room in the infirmary. I just had to talk to him, Father."

Man-at-Arms nodded. He hadn't expected her to do that after their talk, but it definitely didn't surprise him. "Why do you think that was a mistake? What happened?"

Teela looked down at her hands which were resting in her lap as he father sat beside her. "The king, queen, and Adora were in there, so I woke Adam up and told him to go into the lavatory with me. We talked, Father, about his secret and I was able to apologize about everything. Things were going so well."

"Until?" guessed Man-at-Arms.

Even though she was already looking down, Teela turned her head away from her father and whispered, "Until I kissed him."

"Until you kissed him?" repeated Duncan loudly.

Teela looked at him and nodded.

Man-at-Arms stood and walked away as he thought about her actions. Teela kissed Prince Adam? Now the question was why she was so upset. Had Adam refused her? That almost seemed unfathomable to him, because he was so sure the prince had feelings for his daughter. He had watched them together and knew just by the boy's mannerisms that he liked her more than just a friend, but he never addressed it, thinking they would find each other eventually. Could he have misread the situation that badly?

Duncan finally turned back to Teela and replied, "And, this has upset you, how?"

"The kiss didn't," explained Teela. "It's what happened during and after the kiss. The king caught us and you should have seen the look he gave me, Father. It was like he didn't even know me. It was almost like he was saying how dare I touch his son! He told me that he and I would discuss the matter after breakfast and to leave." She rushed to her father again and said, "Oh, Father, what if the king decides that he wants to send me away from the palace? I couldn't bear to never see you or Adam again. What do I do?"

Duncan held Teela by her arms and rubbed them comfortingly. "It depends on what you want to do and how you feel about Adam," he said.

Teela looked down and asked, "What do you mean?"

Duncan brought one hand to Teela's chin and made her look up at him again. "You have to make a decision about what you want concerning Adam to know what to do from here. It's obvious if you want to continue being Adam's bodyguard and the Captain of the Guard, you must put an end to any relationship you and Adam might be developing. But…if you want a romantic relationship with the prince, then you must be willing to lose your positions. You have to realize that's a probable possibility, especially losing your position as his bodyguard. That might happen regardless of whether you and he court or not."

Teela sighed as she thought about what she should do.

As Duncan watched his daughter for signs as to what she was thinking, he whispered, "Regardless of what you choose, I'll be behind you one hundred percent. You won't go through this alone. This decision is yours."


	32. Another Secret Learned

Noticing Adam Chapter 32

King Randor walked into the room slowly with Queen Marlena following closely behind. He proceeded to the bed cautiously expecting some kind of outburst from Adam for their latest run-in, but the boy stayed quiet. As a matter of fact, he was a little too interested in the sheets on his bed.

Randor sat on the bed facing Adam and asked, "Are you all right?"

Adam looked up and the king gasped. The prince looked completely and utterly miserable. His entire face was paler than the white walls of the infirmary and his eyes glistened with what he assumed to be unshed tears. Had he caused this? He opened his mouth to talk but only a squeak came out. He cleared his throat and tried again. "Adam, I'm…I'm sorry if I upset you. I never meant to."

"I know that," said Adam, as he averted his eyes and looked back down at the bedspread. He was calmer now after his talk with Adora and not as angry with his father for having doubts or questions about Teela. "I know you did your best to remain civil earlier. You sent Teela to her room without any reprimand and the only time you yelled at me was when I told you Teela and I were not in a relationship. If my son had told me he wasn't in a relationship with the woman I thought he was sleeping with, I might be a little upset, too." He paused, then looked up, and added, "But we're not sleeping together, Father. We aren't even together romantically in any sense."

Now, it was Randor's turn to look down at the bedspread. Neither of them was used to talking about this subject with the other, but they had to now if they were going to get through this. "Then, what did I walk in on?" whispered the king.

The prince shook his head and admitted, "I don't even know."

Randor looked up in shock, and Adam met his stare.

Seeing the question in his father's eyes, Adam continued, "Teela came here to talk—just talk—and you saw how we ended up. I'm not entirely sure how we got there or what it means, if anything."

Randor raised a brow as he heard the uncertainty in his son's voice. He grabbed the prince's hand and asked, "Do you want to it to mean something?"

Adam looked back down at the bed and shook his head.

Randor knew he wasn't answering his question. His son was merely expressing his desire not to discuss this topic. "Adam, I have to know," he insisted as he turned toward Adora briefly. She was looking at Adam with complete sympathy. That pretty much gave him his answer, but he wanted his son to tell him.

"Why?" Adam asked. "Why must you know?"

"Because you're the Prince of Eternia. I have to know so I can be prepared to answer questions from other Royalty and members of the court if they begin to suspect that something serious is going on between Teela and you. Whether you like it or not, Adam, your life—even your love life—is a matter of public record. And, not only that, you're my son. I would like to know what's going on in your life so that I can help you in any way I can." Randor breathed heavily and continued, "I know I haven't been the best of fathers as of late and I know we have a long way to go before our relationship heals, but I wish you would talk to me, son. I don't want you to be afraid to come to me about these things. I want to be there for you. I want to know what's happening in your life. If I can't know the big secret the Sorceress is making you keep, can I at least know about this?"

Tears slipped down Adam's cheeks as he heard his father's heartfelt plea. "I've told you the truth," he whispered as he wiped at his face.

Randor nodded. "Okay, I believe you," he replied honestly. "But I want to know more. You say Teela and you aren't in a relationship. Do you want to be? And, what were you two discussing that resulted in such a heated…moment?"

Adam's cheeks turned red as he looked up at the king. "Yes, I want to be with Teela. I…I've loved her since we were kids," he admitted.

Randor let out a shaky breath and nodded quickly, not saying a word.

Now that the dam had been broken and he had said those words to his father for the first time, Adam wanted to tell him everything: "I believed for so many years that she didn't even notice me. When He-Man showed up, I was so sure she was in love with him that I—I don't know—I didn't know what I was going to do. She's the only woman I have ever seriously imagined myself with, Father, and I hated the thought that she could love him and not me."

The king swallowed roughly. He didn't know why he had never seen Adam's feelings for Teela before. It was so very obvious. Watching him now as he talked about the captain, he noticed his son's eyes had brightened from joy and that he looked around almost as if in a state of bliss. Randor forced himself to smile and said, "And, now, you know there is a possibility that she might return your feelings. What brought that about?"

"Like I said, she wanted to talk to me and out of nowhere, she kissed me."

Marlena sat on the bed in front of Randor and rubbed her son's arm. She smiled happily at him and said, "I had a suspicion for quite some time now that you had feelings for her. And, to tell you the truth, I even suspected that she returned them. I must admit, though, that I never thought she'd sneak into your room at night and…"

Adam shook his head and interrupted his mother before she said anything embarrassing. "She came in here to talk, Mother. She didn't even bring up our relationship in any way. The kiss just happened."

"So, you keep saying," whispered Marlena with an even wider smile than before and a wink.

As for Randor, he sighed and questioned, "Well, I'm curious. What discussion led to kissing?"

Adam immediately looked back down at his bedspread and answered, "She…wanted to talk about recent events. She was...still upset about my fighting Beastman. She, uh, also wanted to make sure I was, um, okay." He shrugged.

Randor watched the prince speak, and while he might have believed Adam's words a week ago, now that he had been paying much more attention to his son recently, he had picked up on the signs which pointed to Adam either lying or leaving information out. "Okay," he said softly, deciding to call him out on it. "And, what are you not saying?"

Immediately, Adam glanced at his father, to his mother, and then back again. "What do you mean?"

Randor pressed his lips together slightly and tried to upturn his lips a little to show that he wasn't angry or upset. Then, he replied, "I can tell there is more that you're not saying. When speaking, you're always confident and eloquent with words, but I've noticed recently that when you're not telling me everything, you start to stutter or struggle to find the appropriate things to say. You just did that. So, again, what are you not saying?"

Adam squeezed his eyes shut momentarily. He was bracing himself for the result of his following words. He knew the king would not like them, but he also thought the king would eventually appreciate that he was being as truthful as he could be. It would be progress in their relationship and in what he chose to share. Taking a deep breath, he said, "I'm sorry, Father, but I can't tell you. That's…going into one of those subjects that I am obligated not to share with you."

Immediately, the King of Eternia rose in disbelief.

"Father?" questioned Adam, astonished to see that the king's face had turned a dark shade of red and that he was shaking slightly.

Randor questioned softly but sharply, "You were discussing one of the subjects that you can't share with me?"

Adam suddenly realized his mistake.

The king continued in barely concealed anger, "Teela knows? Who else knows your secrets? Are Marlena and I the only people who are close to you that don't know?"

Both Adam and Adora looked at their mother instinctively. They couldn't help it when they realized that the answer to their father's question was "no." The truth was only Randor didn't know and they knew that knowledge would devastate him if and when he found out.

Unfortunately for everyone involved, Randor noticed the looks his children gave his wife. He turned to look at her and was surprised to see what he knew was guilt adorning her face. He looked back at his children and noticed the same look. "By the Ancients," he whispered. Tears immediately swelled Randor's eyes and he turned away abruptly.

"Father?" "Randor?" Everyone in the room questioned his actions. They were unaware that he had noticed and interpreted their looks accurately.

Randor's mind screamed at him continuously, "Marlena knows the secret, too! I'm the only one that doesn't know!"

Without looking back at his children or wife, he shook his head in what was a gesture of anger and melancholy all rolled up into one.

"Randor?" questioned Marlena as she laid a hand on his back to comfort him.

The king immediately reacted as if she had scalded him. He jumped away hurriedly and flashed a look of contempt her way before it turned into a look of deep depression—the glare he had turned on her withered away into a dark shadow around his now gloomy eyes, and his posture slumped immediately.

"Randor?" she questioned again and took a step towards him.

The response was instantaneous, and everyone gasped as it happened. Without a word, Randor walked out of the room and slammed the door forcefully.

"What just happened?" asked Marlena in befuddlement as she turned toward her children.

Adam swallowed roughly because he had an idea. "He might have figured it out, Mom."

"Figured what out? That you're He-Man?" she questioned.

He shook his head. "No, that you know my secret."

=)=)=)

The following morning, no one had seen or heard from the King of Eternia. He never returned to Adam's infirmary room and he never showed up in his own bedchambers either. Queen Marlena was very worried, because Randor never ran away from their problems. He never avoided her in all the years she had known him, but it was obvious he was doing so now.

As Marlena emerged from her chambers after getting ready for the day, she was greeted by the sight of Adam coming towards her with Adora and Cringer. He carried a cane in his hand, which was the only way the doctor had agreed to let him out of bed. As the doctor had explained, it was to ensure that the prince had something with him in which he could steady himself if he got too dizzy. So far, it had proven to be unnecessary.

"Have you seen him, yet?" asked Adam as he reached her.

Marlena frowned as she looked down at the floor and shook her head sadly.

Immediately, Adam pulled her into his arms and whispered, "It's okay, Mother. We'll work it out. Father will have to understand that you are under the same restrictions that we are. He can't hold this against you."

Marlena pulled back and said, "If it were only that simple, Adam. I know Randor sees this as a betrayal. We're husband and wife. We're supposed to share everything. And, imagine how he feels. His wife could know, but he couldn't."

"You weren't supposed to know!" cried Adam, almost getting angry at his father for disappearing without giving them a chance to explain. "This isn't anyone's fault! He has to accept that!"

Marlena stepped away from Adam and took a deep breath to compose herself. "Well, let's go the dining room to see if he's there. If not, after breakfast we'll go to the throne room. He'll have to show up eventually. He wouldn't abandon his obligations all day."

=)=)=)

Her life would be changing soon. Teela had no doubt of that as she stepped out of her bedchambers and headed confidently toward the dining room. After breakfast, she would have a meeting with King Randor, and she already knew in the very least that she would be losing her job as Adam's bodyguard. Her father had prepared her for that, but everything else was left to question.

She didn't want to lose her job as Captain of the Royal Guard. She had worked so hard to achieve her position, and it had not been given to her because she was Man-at-Arms' daughter, despite what some courtiers thought. But she knew as much as she loved it and wanted to keep it, she might lose it anyway. She made her decision, and she only hoped it was the right one:

She wanted Adam. She wanted to see where their relationship could go. Yes, it was a risk because she didn't know what he wanted and it might not work out, but the memory of their kisses told her he wanted her, too. At least she hoped it did.

Honestly, she wished she could talk to Adam before her meeting with the king. At least then, she'd know what he wanted to do without guessing.

She sighed as she finally reached the dining room. She was surprised to see that her father was waiting for her. "You waited for me?" she questioned.

"I wasn't about to allow you to walk in there alone," he answered.

Teela instantly wrapped her arms around her father's neck and whispered, "Thank you so much, Father! You always seem to know when I need support."

Man-at-Arms smiled and said, "Of course, I do. I'm your father…as well as your superior." He winked at her and Teela couldn't help but laugh.

"Well, maybe not for long," she replied at the reminder that she could lose her jobs.

Determined for his daughter to not fall into a funk, he smiled and stated, "You're right! You might end up being mine! You couldn't get a higher position than princess and queen if you tried."

Teela's jaw dropped and Man-at-Arms' smile evolved into a huge grin. "I look forward to the day," he whispered.

Teela shoved her father a little and said, "Don't marry me off already, Father! We're not even courting, yet. I don't even know if Adam wants to be with me. He might like someone else. He might regret our kiss. His father might even keep us apart…"

Duncan placed his entire hand over her mouth and said, "Don't worry so much. I have faith that everything will be okay. You just have to believe it."

Teela nodded, and with determined glances and a squeeze of each other's hands, father and daughter walked into the room, but their stride immediately stopped as they got a good look at the room's occupants.

The king was missing and the remaining members of the Royal Family looked miserable.


	33. Contemplations and Looks into the Past

Noticing Adam Chapter 33

King Randor stood before Castle Grayskull and stared at the building with a look of contempt. This was the first time he had ever scrutinized the castle despite seeing and knowing of its existence for most of his life. The truth was it had been inconsequential to him when he had been a young man. He had always known a powerful sorceress lived there who was on the side of good, but she had kept to herself so he hadn’t bothered her. It wasn’t until the Horde had shown its face on Eternia that he had gotten to know the Sorceress. She had sent for him, told him a powerful force that could take over the entire planet was coming. She had informed him that he alone could prevent the rule of evil at that time. And, he had believed her. He had trained with his soldiers, he had come up with new battle strategies with Man-at-Arms and the other upper-ranked officers of his guard, and he had sent some of his best men to guard Castle Grayskull.

He had fought a supposedly unwinnable war and won. He stood with his men and fought on the frontlines just like a commoner who had volunteered to be part of the Royal Guard. He led them—and the entire planet—to a victory. 

The Sorceress of Grayskull said recently that he would learn Adam’s secret when he deserved to know. 

He had protected that castle and driven the Horde from the planet. He had lost a child for a very long time because of that war. Adora might not have been taken if he had been there with his family like a king normally would have been. How could he not deserve to know after everything that he had done and lost for Eternia? Besides, had he not made an effort with Adam? Had he not accepted the wishes of the Sorceress and not insisted on Adam telling him the truth? Had he not backed down when thoughts of attacking Castle Grayskull entered his mind when he thought the Sorceress had kidnapped his children? Wasn’t he a good ruler? Didn’t the people of Eternia say he was the most faithful, dependable, devoted, and greatest king on the planet? Didn’t they and the other monarchs say how relieved they were that he was the High King of the planet instead of someone else?

How could he not be worthy of this knowledge? Why didn’t he deserve to know? He strived to be a good man. Yes, his behavior recently had been completely unacceptable and unflattering to a man of his standing, but wasn’t a person allowed to make mistakes? Was it not understandable that this situation with Adam would drive him a little crazy given the circumstances? How could the Sorceress hold that against him? The truth was if there had been no secrets, he wouldn’t have acted in such a manner.

Randor shook his head as he studied the castle again.

When he had fled the palace the night before, he had only intended to go for a walk to clear his head, to wrap his mind around the fact that he was the only one out of his immediate family and friends who didn’t know Adam’s secret. He found it unbelievable…and completely unacceptable. That’s why he was at Grayskull. He wanted to see the Sorceress.

=)=)=)

Teela and Man-at-Arms walked to the table and sat down awkwardly as they watched the queen, Adora, and Adam watch them.

“Good morning,” said Man-at-Arms, softly, trying to allay the tension he felt even though he didn’t know its cause. He glanced at his daughter and noticed her worried brow. She was staring at Adam, but the prince was staring at him. “Adam?” he questioned.

Adam sighed in response and said, “Father is missing.”

“What?” Man-at-Arms said, immediately standing. “What happened? Do you think Skeletor is involved?”

“No,” answered Marlena sadly, “he’s purposely avoiding us.”

Duncan looked from one royal to the other as he sat down, unsure of what he should say. When his eyes settled back on the prince, Adam explained, “Father and I were discussing what had happened with Teela last night—I assume you already know.” At Duncan’s nod, the prince looked at Teela briefly and his cheeks immediately flushed to a rosy hue. He then looked back at Man-at-Arms and continued, “He wondered what we had been discussing. I made the mistake of telling him it was one of those topics I couldn’t discuss with him. He got angry that Teela knew my secret and he didn’t. Then, shortly thereafter, I believe he discovered Mother knew, as well. He had questioned whether Mother and he were the only ones who didn’t know the secret and then suddenly he was avoiding her touch and storming from the room. It’s the only explanation I can think of.”

Man-at-Arms nodded as he thought about the situation. He could understand why Randor would be angry. He could even understand why he would feel the need to get away from everyone. And, truthfully, he had known and feared that would be his reaction for quite some time. Randor was the King of Eternia after all, and Adora and Adam were his children. It had to be devastating to learn that almost everyone close to him knew a very important part of his children’s lives that he didn’t. At least Randor was an understanding man, despite his sometimes volatile temper—other kings might have had them brought up on charges of treason. Everyone who knew of their secret and didn’t tell the king was in breach of their oaths of loyalty to him. It was the thing that made him hate keeping Adam’s and Adora’s secrets the most. It made him break a promise to his king.

“Maybe we should give him some time to cool down,” said Man-at-Arms finally. “The king has every right to be upset, don’t you agree?”

Adam nodded, as did Marlena and Adora. “I just hope,” replied Adam, “that he doesn’t take it out on Mother. It’s not her fault. It’s not anyone’s fault really. We do what we must to protect Eternia. Father, of all people, should understand that. Besides, Mother did her best to make him find out on his own.” He flashed his mother a glare and then grinned. He was glad he was able to joke about it now. For a while there, he thought he’d always be angry when he thought about her actions—he hoped his father wasn’t thinking along those same lines now.

Teela, who wanted to see Adam’s reaction to her now that they had kissed one another, grabbed his hand across the table and interjected, “I’m sure he will understand after he’s been given time to feel his emotions and then think about everything rationally. I know he loves all of you, but he simply hates being left in the dark. I know how he feels.”

Adam immediately smiled at Teela and gave her hand a little squeeze before bringing his up so that their hands were now palm to palm. He intertwined their fingers and stared at their hands almost in fascination. It wasn’t until he looked up again that he remembered they had an audience. “Oh!” he gasped and snatched his hand away from Teela’s. He blushed as he looked at Man-at-Arms quickly to gauge his reaction.

Duncan smiled at Adam and said, “I think a lot of us need time to think and get used to recent developments. I, on the other hand, have already adjusted quite well.” He then winked.

The prince immediately relaxed—he now knew he had Man-at-Arms’ approval to court his daughter. He still wanted to ask officially, but it was good to know ahead of time that Duncan had no qualms about their possible union. He glanced back at Teela, who smiled at him with a faint blush. It was very rare that he saw her in such a state and it was beautiful. He glanced to his mother and sister and they merely smiled at him, as well.

As the kitchen staff came out to bring them their food, Adam stretched his leg out to tap Teela’s under the table playfully. The response was immediate and it made Adam laugh loudly: she had reared back and kicked his shin somewhat soundly. As Teela glared at him, ironically with a smile, the others watched with interest, trying to figure out why Adam was so amused.

=)=)=)

As soon as King Randor decided he was at Castle Grayskull to see the Sorceress instead of being there to simply think, the drawbridge lowered. He turned around to make sure no one else was approaching. When he saw no one, he knew this was a clear invitation by the Sorceress. Taking a deep breath, he entered the castle and followed a light which led him to the throne room.

The Sorceress stared down at him and she immediately stood as he came to stand in the center of the room. “King Randor,” she acknowledged.

“Sorceress,” he said in greeting. 

After a few moments of intense and awkward silence, the king sighed and said abruptly, “I have always known I’m not perfect. I’ve always known I have many flaws that could be detrimental to my kingdom and the planet if I weren’t careful…and until recently, I thought I was doing a good job of being a decent man and a noble ruler.” Randor looked down at his feet as he shook his head slowly. He then glanced back up at the Sorceress and continued, “But I suppose you think differently and maybe you’re right. Maybe I haven’t been the best father I could have been. Maybe I could have done things better…but we’ll never know. The only thing that I do know for certain is that I love my family, the people, and this planet. I always thought that fact was evident to everyone, but I guess it wasn’t. I have been deemed in your eyes unworthy to know what is happening in my son’s life. I wish I knew why.” The king fell silent and stared at the Sorceress patiently.

“Your love has never been in question,” said the Sorceress softly as she walked down the steps to stand in front of the king. “And, no one denies that you are a good man and the greatest king this planet has ever had.”

Randor frowned as tears came to his eyes. “Then why am I unworthy? What have I done to be so excluded?”

The Sorceress walked away and went to her mirror. She waved a hand in front of it and Randor walked beside her to look at it as the glass shimmered brilliantly with many different colors. “It’s not what you have done,” she answered. “It’s what you haven’t done.”

The king stared at the mirror and a sob escaped him as a scene from his past played before him:

_King Randor paced in the outer room of his bedchambers. Man-at-Arms was seated on a bench and watched the king display his obvious anxiety over what was going on in the next room. As if the pacing weren’t bad enough, the monarch cringed every time he heard Marlena scream. When he heard a particularly long yell, the king sat on his hands beside Duncan and squeezed his eyes shut._

_Duncan grasped him by the shoulder and said, “Your wife is fine, Sire. It shouldn’t be much longer.”_

_Randor opened his eyes and frowned as he stated, “You’ve been saying that for the past three hours.” He looked at the door and said, “I can barely keep myself from running in there.”_

_As soon as those words left his mouth, Randor heard the sudden sounds of a baby crying. Immediately the king and Man-at-Arms sprung to their feet. They both grinned at each other and after listening to Duncan congratulate him, Randor whispered, “Praise the Ancients…”_

_But his words were unexpectedly interrupted by the sounds of a second set of baby cries happening simultaneously with the first. Man-at-Arms and Randor turned to look at one another with widened eyes. “T—two cries!” exclaimed the king._

_Almost ten minutes later, a midwife came out and said with a smile, “Your wife wishes to see you, My Lord.”_

_Quickly, Randor rushed into the room and paused within the doorframe. He stared at the scene before him in a state of awe. Marlena was in bed—obviously the sheets had been changed and she had been allowed to get in one of her usual nightgowns—and beside her were two babies wrapped together in a small blanket._

_Randor shook himself, breathed deeply, and walked into the room. He went to Marlena’s side and smiled as he reached out towards his wife and children. Marlena took his hand as her husband continued to stare at his offspring._

_“Twins, Randor,” stated Marlena, happily. She grinned as she added, “You have a son…and a daughter.”_

_Tears slipped down his cheeks as he sat on the edge of the bed. “They’re beautiful, Marlena,” he whispered. “They look just like you.”_

_The queen laughed and said, “I don’t know. I think our daughter resembles me the most, but our son most definitely takes after you.”_

_“My son,” whispered Randor. “My daughter.” The words seemed so surreal to him. He turned to Marlena and asked hurriedly, “Which is which?”_

_With laughter, the queen replied, “Our son is on the right and our daughter is on the left next to me.” Randor stared at the children and moved his hand to touch their cheeks softly. After several seconds of watching her husband stare lovingly at the babies, she said, “The midwife said I should feed them as soon as I felt up to it. I think I’ll feed one now.” She paused after she unbuttoned the top of her nightgown. “Which do you want to hold first while I feed the other?”_

_He shook his head. “It doesn’t matter,” he whispered but Marlena knew better. She smiled as she said, “Well, ladies go first, so I’ll feed our daughter. You can take our son.”_

_The king immediately grinned as Marlena unbundled the twins and handed his son in a smaller blanket to him._

_The king quickly rose and sat in a chair near the bed. He stared at his son and whispered, “You and I are going to have such a great time getting to know one another. I’m going to teach you how to play chess, how to fish…” He paused and then continued, “…and how to run a kingdom.” He looked up at Marlena, who didn’t seem to be paying attention. He looked back down at his son and spoke softly, “But don’t let that intimidate you. I promise I’m going to be the best father and teacher you could ever wish to have.”_

_“And, I have no doubt that will prove to be true,” interjected the queen._

_The king looked up again, blushed, and chided, “I thought you weren’t listening.”_

_“How could I not?” she asked with a grin as she tried to memorize the sight of her husband holding their son. After a moment’s hesitation, she asked, “So, do you have any ideas as to what we’re going to call him?”_

_Randor beamed as he continued to gaze at his son and stated proudly, “Ever since we found out you were pregnant, I’ve thought about what I would like to name the baby if it turned out to be a boy.”_

_“Did you make a decision?”_

_He shrugged as he glanced at his wife and said, “Well, I do want your input on this, dear, but I’ve been thinking about all those stories you told me about your planet.”_

_“And?” asked Marlena as she stared at him with wide and somewhat impatient eyes._

_“I kept going back to that story about how the first Earthling was supposedly made.” He avoided Marlena’s eyes and chose to only look at the baby in his arms. “Who was born first? Our son or our daughter?”_

_“Our son,” she answered._

_Randor nodded, feeling confident at the chosen name when he heard her answer. “Our son is the first of his kind. He’s the offspring of an Earthling and an Eternian. I can’t think of a better suited name than Adam.” He took a chance of looking up at Marlena to gauge her reaction. “What do you think? Is it too much to name him after Earth’s first man? I just thought it would be symbolic…”_

_Marlena reached a hand out and placed a finger over his lips. “I love it,” she whispered, touched that Randor gave so much thought into their son’s name and Earth. “And, what about our daughter? Do you want to name her Eve?”_

_Randor smiled. “Absolutely not,” he answered. “I adore her too much to stick her with that name.” He wrinkled up his nose in distaste._

_The queen laughed and exclaimed, “I agree.” She looked down at the baby feeding and continued softly, “Sometimes on Earth when people have twins, they give them similar names. You know, they start with the same syllables or letter. I don’t know. Amanda? Ashley? Audrey?” At Randor’s still wrinkled nose, she laughed again and expostulated playfully, “You are so picky! What? Do you adore her too much to give her those names, as well?”_

_As the king nodded good-humoredly, Marlena looked thoughtfully at her husband. “You adore her,” she whispered._

_Randor heard her words and gave her a curious look as he agreed, “Yes, I do adore her.”_

_Marlena smiled suddenly and suggested, “How about Adora, then?”_

_“Prince Adam and Princess Adora,” said Randor proudly as he tried the names out. “I like it—it’s perfect.” He stood and leaned over to kiss Marlena and Adora. He then placed a kiss on Adam’s cheek as he sat back down. “We’re going to be a happy family, Adam,” he whispered as he winked at Marlena._

The images in the mirror faded away and Randor brought his hands up to wipe the tears from his eyes. He glanced at the Sorceress and asked, “So, are you saying I broke my promise? That we weren’t a happy family?”

The Sorceress answered simply, “No, you were happy.” She waved at the mirror again and another scene from the past appeared.

=)=)=)

The doors opened and everyone sighed in disappointment as they stared into the empty throne room. There was no trace of the king, and courtiers and visitors from other kingdoms were already lining up outside to speak to him. As Adora, Queen Marlena, and Man-at-Arms walked into the room, Teela walked up and stood beside Adam in the entrance. She grabbed his hand and held it softly.

“Hey,” she whispered, squeezing his hand firmly for a second but not looking at him.

Smiling, he squeezed her hand back and replied, “Hi.”

Teela turned her eyes to him briefly and then looked forward again. “I guess your father’s disappearance means I don’t have to worry about meeting with him this morning.”

Adam nodded as he continued to hold her hand and agreed, “Yes, I guess that’s true.”

Teela also found herself nodding as they both stood there silently. After almost ten seconds of neither saying anything, Teela turned to face Adam and exclaimed, “This is ridiculous!”

The prince looked worriedly at her, but before he could question what she meant, she gave him the answer.

“We have been friends practically our entire lives and now a couple of little kisses have rendered us speechless. Isn’t that silly?”

“Yes, I suppose it is,” said Adam with a soft smile. 

They looked at one another again and both blushed. 

As Adam looked into the throne room and noticed his mother’s look of despair, he pushed Teela to the side where no one could see her and he yelled into the room, “Mother, I’m going back to my bedchambers. I think I’ll take Father’s place today and help you, if you don’t mind, so I want to change into something more appropriate.”

At Marlena’s smile and nod of approval, Adam immediately took Teela’s hand and said, “Come with me. We can talk privately after I change my clothes.”

=)=)=)

Adam stepped out of his lavatory in clothes Teela rarely had the pleasure of seeing him in. It almost seemed to be a mixture of his normal outfit and his father’s rolled into one: he was still wearing his white undershirt but instead of his pink tunic he wore a red one, and instead of his purple tights and fur, he wore blue ones. He pulled the outfit together with his normal black belt, but there was one thing that stood out from his normal attire aside from the colors. He wore a sleeveless robe that was a darker shade of blue that matched his father’s. Because of the cut, you could see the slight sleeves of his red tunic and the rest of his outfit. She had to admit the whole ensemble suited him. 

“What do you think?” he asked as he walked across the room. He had noticed her scrutinizing him so he figured he might as well get her opinion.

“It’s nice,” she answered.

“Really?” he questioned.

Just as Teela was about to reassure him again, her words got stuck in her throat as Adam opened a drawer and picked up a crown. It was a simple large band of gold with no points. Its shape signified that he was merely a prince and not a king, but it was still stunning. It was a darker shade than King Randor’s, and she had no doubt that was done intentionally because of Adam’s hair color. 

As Adam placed the crown on his head, he turned to her and asked, “Do I look like royalty for a change?”

Teela swallowed roughly and replied, “You always look like royalty, Adam, but yes, you look…” She paused. “…like the future king of Eternia.”

Adam nodded with a brief smile as he walked over to his bed and patted the space beside him. “Come here, Teela,” he said softly. “Let’s talk.”

“About what?” she asked nervously as she obeyed her prince’s wishes.

As she sat beside him, Adam grabbed her hand and repeated what she had said to him last night, “I think you know.”

Teela looked down at their joined hands and let out a shaky breath. 

=)=)=)

Adam knew Teela was nervous and the truth was he felt the same way, but he had to get things out into the open. He couldn’t keep thinking about Adora’s and his father’s doubts. He had to know where he stood and now was the best time to find out.

“Teela,” he whispered as he looked around to draw courage. Soon, he looked at her and stated firmly, “I need to know how you feel.”

“About what?” she mumbled, still looking down. She knew what he was asking, but she had a momentary doubt in her conclusions about him. What if he was preparing to let her down gently if she admitted to having feelings for him?

Adam brought his hands up to each side of Teela’s face and made her look up at him. “I need to know how you feel about me…and He-Man,” he answered.

Teela furrowed her brow in confusion. Did he want to continue their discussion about her thoughts of He-Man now that she knew he was really Prince Adam or was he asking how she felt about them romantically as two different people? “What do you mean?” she asked.

Adam breathed deeply and said, “I want to know if you like He…” He stopped. He couldn’t ask her that way…whether she liked Adam or He-Man. That would be insulting, especially since he thought and hoped she loved them as one person. He shook his head lightly in frustration and said quickly, “I want to know if the kisses from our cowardly Prince Adam meant anything to you.”

Because Adam still had his hands on her face, she couldn’t turn away. All she could do was look at him, so she did and answered firmly, “Yes, they did.”

Adam grinned and admitted, “Good, because they meant something to me, too.” He looked towards the door and knew he had to hurry this along. He needed to get back to the throne room soon so he and his mother could start the court proceedings without any delay. He looked back at Teela and didn’t quite know what to ask next. Should he ask her out to a private dinner? Should he ask if she would be okay with him asking for her father’s permission to court her? Instead, Adam did what he wanted to do all morning. With his hands still around her face, he leaned in and kissed her chastely. 

Immediately, Teela brought her hands up and wrapped her arms around Adam’s neck and pulled him to her so she could deepen the kiss. She pulled lightly on his bottom lip with her teeth and moved her lips against his slowly. Before she could try something else, Adam stood and leaned over her as he ran his tongue over her lips seeking entrance. As she opened her mouth and dueled with him for a little bit, the chronometer on his wall chimed to let him know it was the beginning of the hour. Adam immediately pulled back. 

Breathing roughly, he whispered, “Wow!”

“Yeah, wow,” she whispered back, also catching her breath.

Adam leaned over and kissed her forehead. “I have to get to court,” he said sadly. He looked into her eyes and questioned, “But we’re good, right? This is…what we want…isn’t it?”

Teela smiled and nodded. “Yeah, it is.”

Adam immediately grinned and kissed her on the lips again for several seconds before pulling away. “I have to get to court,” he repeated again and walked quickly out of the room.

Teela lay back on the bed and smiled for a moment before she got up to follow her prince back to the throne room.


	34. Understanding and Acceptance

Noticing Adam Chapter 34

Skeletor stood on top of a wooded hill on the very edge of the Evergreen Forest. From this distance, he could see Castle Grayskull and everything that was going on around it, and he was actually a little surprised to find himself there. He had no intention of bothering the castle that day—instead he had been on his way to Eternos to start a little trouble for Prince Adam—but when he had seen who had been on the drawbridge before it suddenly dropped to let the individual inside, he knew he had to stick around to see what was going on.

The Lord of Destruction turned to his companions, Evil-Lyn, Trap Jaw, and Beastman, and said, "I wonder why King Randor is at Castle Grayskull alone. I don't even see an AttakTrak in the area."

The others shrugged, and Skeletor turned his attention back to the castle. He wished he knew what was going on inside.

=)=)=)

Prince Adam stepped inside the throne room and took a deep breath as he watched his mother, his sister, and Man-at-Arms turn toward him.

His mother immediately came to him and slipped her hand inside his. "I waited until you got here to open the palace doors," she said. "Are you sure you want to do this? I know it has to be a little daunting, especially without your father."

Adam smiled confidently and replied, "You're here. Besides, I will have to do this on my own one day, so a little experience will be good for me."

As Teela walked inside the room, the queen purposely motioned her head towards the captain to make Adam look at her. When he did so, she whispered, "I sincerely hope you won't have to do this on your own. Choose your queen wisely and you won't have to."

Adam blushed as he turned back to his mother. He cleared his throat and asked, "Should we get things started now?"

"By all means," she agreed, and Adam immediately looked towards Man-at-Arms and nodded his head.

Instantly, Duncan left the room to open the outer doors, and Prince Adam and Queen Marlena ascended the throne hand-in-hand. When they reached the top, they turned around to face the incoming crowd and Adam took his spot in front of his father's chair as his mother took hers. He stood there and waited silently for everyone to get inside and stop moving before he said anything to the crowd.

It didn't take long for the spectators to see that today would be different. Not only was King Randor absent, Prince Adam was on the throne and holding a cane in his hand to presumably help him walk or keep himself steady. The people fell silent and watched the people atop the throne as they watched them.

Finally, Adam spoke, "I would like to welcome everyone. As you can see, my father, King Randor, will not be with us today. An urgent matter that needed his attention came to light, so I have decided to step into his place for the time being. We will conduct ourselves and business as normal." He then turned towards Duncan and said, "Man-at-Arms, allow the first visitor to step forward."

Duncan couldn't help but smile and feel a little pride at the boy's confidence and ability to take charge as the prince gave him his first order of the day. Right now, Adam was acting and speaking so much like his father that he wished Randor was there to see it.

=)=)=)

King Randor continued to wipe his eyes at the memory of his children's birth. He had no idea the Sorceress had the power to look back into the past at events she hadn't been present for, but he wasn't really surprised. He had a feeling the woman could do anything she wanted within these castle walls.

But instead of spending his time contemplating what the Sorceress could do, he watched the next moment the Sorceress had chosen to remind him of:

_King Randor sighed in frustration as he watched Prime Minister Pangus leave his office for a brief break in their negotiations. They had been in there for almost two days, minus the breaks, trying to reach an agreement on the fate of a man who had committed a crime in the city of Primus. It was a delicate matter and Randor was frustrated that they were unable to see eye-to-eye on this one matter even though they usually got along so well._

_He could understand why this time was different, though: a young man by the name of Danius had stolen from Pangus' daughter Celice. The girl owned a gold locket in which contained a picture of her late mother and it meant everything to the child. Because Danius had taken it from her while she had been outside playing and it had upset and scared the child, Pangus gave an order for the man to be imprisoned for the rest of his life._

_Danius' wife came all the way to Eternos to plead with King Randor to talk to the prime minister. She explained that Danius had only wanted to provide food for her and his children and that's why he had stolen the locket. Randor had taken one look at the woman's clothes and the way her skin hung off of her bones, as well as the children's, and knew she was telling the truth. It didn't excuse his act of stealing nor did it make up for frightening the girl, but it changed the circumstances of the incident and he believed a lighter sentence should be given._

_Randor wanted Pangus to reduce the sentence to a month in prison to teach the man a lesson, but the prime minister was adamant that the man was a threat to not only his daughter but the others in Primus. He didn't know what he would have to do to make Pangus listen to reason, but he hoped after eating lunch he would come up with something. He liked to handle things diplomatically instead of pulling rank as High King, but Pangus was almost leaving him no choice._

_Randor rose reluctantly and decided to leave the office so he could eat with his wife. Just as he was about to turn in the direction of the dining room, he heard Adam talking to someone, and he was shocked at what he was hearing. He crept over to a nearby window which looked out onto the courtyard and listened to his son who had stopped playing with the other children to talk to Pangus._

" _I heard about the meeting you and my father are having," said Adam as he sat beside the prime minister who was sitting on the bench alone._

" _Oh, really?" questioned Pangus, surprised that a child that looked to be around ten or eleven—despite the fact that he was King Randor's son— knew anything about the matter at all._

_Adam smiled, obviously comprehending what the man was thinking, and said, "Dad doesn't know that I know. I'm sometimes curious about what goes on in his office from time to time, so I go next door to the library and listen through a vent in the wall occasionally."_

" _I see," replied Pangus. "And, since you are talking to me about this secret, I assume you have thoughts on our meeting that you'd like to share."_

_Adam nodded and looked around to make sure no one was listening. "I agree with my dad that you should let Danius go."_

_Pangus opened his mouth to argue but closed it when he realized he would be arguing with a child._

_Adam saw the man's reaction, but he trudged forward anyway. "I know how hard it must be to let a man who could have hurt Celice go, but the fact is the man was trying to get food for his family."_

" _Your father has told me all about that, Adam."_

_The prince nodded and replied, "Then, why don't you understand? Imagine if it were you and Celice living on the street. You couldn't find a job that paid enough to take care of your family and they were starving. What would you do?"_

_Pangus grimaced as he answered, "I'd do almost anything."_

" _Exactly," pounced Adam. "Danius was wrong and he should be punished, but he shouldn't pay for it for the rest of his life. If you lock him up and never let him out, his wife and kids will be alone to fend for themselves. It will make the situation ten times worse."_

_As Pangus nodded, Randor stepped away from the window and went outside. "Adam!" called Randor._

_The young prince immediately smiled and ran towards his father. "Yes, sir?"_

_He looked at the boy sternly and asked, "What were you just doing?"_

_He looked down and started kicking softly at a rock on the ground as he admitted, "I was talking to Prime Minister Pangus."_

_Just as Randor was about to ask a more specific question, Pangus walked up to Randor and said, "Okay, I will let him go after a month, but only under the conditions you stated before we left your office. He must leave Primus and come here to Eternos."_

_Randor nodded and shook his hand. As Pangus walked away, the king turned to Adam and exclaimed, "I'm so proud of you, son! You accomplished something in less than five minutes that I couldn't do in two days!"_

_Adam grinned as he held his palm up. They gave each other a high-five which was something Adam did with his mother all the time. Now that Adam had finally gotten his father to do it, the boy was amused and laughed loudly and continuously._

_Randor shook his head at him, bemused that their unusual interaction had amused the prince so, and started to walk away. As he reached the door to go back inside, he heard his boy call out to him. "Yes, son?"_

_Adam smiled and questioned, "Do you know what I think might make things better for Danius and his family?"_

_When the king shook his head, Adam suggested happily, "Make him join the guard." At his father's astonished look, he continued, "Think about it, Dad! He has to come to Eternos per your agreement with Pangus. If he joins the guard, you can keep an eye on him to ensure that he doesn't cause any trouble and he'll get a salary and a place to stay, which will get him and his family off the streets."_

_King Randor stared at his ten-year-old son in a moment of awe and then grinned proudly._

"Danius turned out to be one of our best soldiers," whispered Randor as the image faded. He looked at the Sorceress and smiled. "Adam had been a tremendous help that day. All on his own, he had solved my problem with Pangus and provided Eternos with one of its best future warriors."

"Yes," the Sorceress agreed. "Adam is a truly remarkable young man."

Randor smiled and said almost in wonder, "He is, isn't he?"

The Sorceress turned towards the king and said, "You say that as if it were a surprise."

Once again, the Sorceress waved her hand at the mirror and another moment from the past was seen:

_King Randor watched as his wife rushed down the throne to hug Adam. The prince had been gone for a little over a week—he had supposedly been on a mission for the Sorceress of Castle Grayskull. For the life of him, he couldn't figure out why she would want to send Adam anywhere. Regardless, he was glad his son was back safe and sound in Eternos._

" _Where have you been, Adam?" he heard Marlena ask. That was a question he also wanted to know the answer to._

_Instead of answering, Adam settled his eyes on his father. "That's part of the surprise I have for everyone," he stated happily. "I know the Sorceress told you I would have one and I do. Once everyone sees what it is, I'll be able to answer everyone's questions about where I've been and what I've been doing more freely."_

" _Then, by all means, bring us your surprise," said the king and he couldn't help but notice that Adam looked extremely excited._

King Randor didn't really need to watch the mirror to remember what happened that day. It had been one of the happiest days of his life. But as he continued to watch the scene unfold, he found that the mirror was following Adam so he could see what he hadn't that day:

_Adam stepped inside his bedchambers and found Adora sitting on his bed nervously. "Are you ready to meet our parents?" he asked as he crossed the room._

" _Adam," whispered Adora fretfully._

_The prince heard the anxiety in her voice, so he sat beside her and took her hand in his. "What's wrong?" he questioned. "Are you still worried that Mother and Father won't like you? They will love you, Adora. I know they will, just like I do."_

_Adora turned towards her brother and said, "It was a lot easier meeting you—I felt like I had already known you for years."_

_Adam slipped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. "That was different because you found out I was your brother before I did," he whispered._

" _No," she disagreed, "from the first moment I met you, I knew there was something between us. I couldn't tell exactly what, but it made me trust you. I know I wouldn't have gone to check out the accusations you made against the Horde for anyone else—Hordak was like a father to me, after all."_

_Adam smiled despite her words about Hordak and hugged her tightly. "We're twins," he replied softly. "I think that gives us a connection we've never had with others. I felt the same way when we first met…well, after our battle." Adam laughed at the fact that his sister had actually captured He-Man. That didn't happen very often and she had accomplished it on her first try. "I liked you instantly and I knew I had to convince you that the Horde was evil."_

Randor gasped at the moment. "They fought?" he questioned frantically. "Why did no one tell me this? What happened?"

"Watch," the Sorceress said, unwilling to answer any questions at this point. "Obviously, everything turned out well."

Fighting the impulse to be irritated at the Sorceress for not answering and for speaking to him in such a manner, he turned back to the mirror.

" _I'm so glad you did," whispered Adora as she pulled away from her brother and stood. She took a deep breath and said, "Let's go meet our parents."_

_Adam smiled and led the way to the throne room. As they stepped to the doors, Adam whispered, "I'm going to step inside and tell them to close their eyes."_

_When Adora nodded, Adam stepped inside._

" _Okay, would everyone close their eyes? I want to get the surprise into the room before you see it," requested Adam._

_Queen Marlena sat on the throne again and smiled while Randor sighed and complained, "I hope this surprise is worth all the waiting and things we have to do to get it."_

_Adam merely smiled and nodded. "It is. Trust me. Cover your eyes so I know you're not peeking."_

_When everyone did as they were told, Adam went back to the door and motioned for Adora to come inside. Her response was unexpected: she shook her head and started to back away. Her father's words had made her question whether her presence would be worth all the hassle Adam was putting them through._

_Adam stepped in the corridor and took her by the hand. "Everything will turn out well, I promise," he whispered. When Adora shook her head again, Adam continued, "They will love you. Please don't back out on me now."_

_Adora looked at Adam with tears in her eyes and he started pulling her inside. "I'll be beside you every step of the way," he promised._

_After a few more moments of resistance, Adora finally gave in and willingly walked to the center of the room. Adora took a few moments to look around and then settled her eyes on her parents. She fidgeted a little, nervous about the moment that Adam would tell them to lower their hands. Wondering why her brother hadn't done so, yet, she looked at him._

_Adam was staring at her, giving her time to adjust to the moment. He mouthed "Ready?" at her, but her reply was interrupted by their father._

" _Well, Adam, we—we've done as you asked. Now, where is this surprise of yours? Must we wait all day?"_

_Adam squeezed his sister's hand tightly for a brief moment and replied to his father, "All right, you can open your eyes now."_

_Teela was the first to see Adam's surprise. She immediately asked, "Who's that?"_

_Duncan, who was completely surprised, could only say, "By the Ancients!"_

_As for Randor, he quipped as he opened his eyes, "It's about ti—" His words immediately ceased as he exhaled sharply. He couldn't believe his eyes and he knew his wife felt the same way when he heard her also exhale. He could scarcely believe what he was seeing—his son and daughter were standing side by side, together at last. He knew it was her because she was so much like Adam: blonde hair, blue eyes, pale skin, and evidently similar styles. They both were wearing matching long-sleeved white undershirts._

" _Adora!" exclaimed Marlena as she rose from her seat._

_Hearing his daughter's name spoken aloud sent a jolt through the king and he found himself running down the throne steps with his wife to meet Adora as she ran toward them exclaiming, "Mother! Father!"_

_All three of them collided in a moment of pure joy and tears. He held Adora tightly as his wife also held on to her and cried, "My daughter! Oh my dear, sweet daughter!"_

_After a moment of enjoying the feeling of having his daughter in his arms once again and hearing Duncan explain to Teela who Adora was, Randor looked up to see Adam standing off to the side with a soft smile on his face. He released his daughter to go to him as he heard Marlena say to their child, "Look at you, how lovely you are!"_

" _Oh, Mother, I'm so glad Adam brought me here!" exclaimed Adora, happily._

" _Son," Randor said as he reached Adam and clasped him firmly on the shoulder, "I want you to know that today, you've made me the happiest man on all Eternia." They hugged for the first time in a long while and it felt wonderful to Randor._

" _The Royal Family of Eternia is whole once more!" declared King Randor as he slipped his arm around Adam's shoulders. "And, by the Ancients, I swear that nothing shall ever separate us again!"_

Once again, Randor found himself wiping tears away from his eyes. It seemed like that moment had happened only yesterday and truthfully, it hadn't been all that long ago.

"Like I said, Adam is a truly remarkable young man," the Sorceress said, repeating her earlier sentiment.

Randor found himself nodding. "He is," he agreed again. He turned to the Sorceress and continued, "I've always known that. I just…get so frustrated because he doesn't always show that. When he was younger, he was so involved in things. He read all the time and he took an interest in the kingdom. I mean, you saw it! He was sneaking into the library to eavesdrop on my meetings! It doesn't make sense that he changed so drastically once he got older!"

The Sorceress stared at the king and said simply, "No, it doesn't." The Sorceress suddenly waved her hand again, but this time instead of a scene of the past, he saw a montage of him talking about Adam and giving his son reprimands:

" _If only he were more of a prince…"_

" _Now Orko, I would like to request a trick: make my son appear. On time."_

" _Now show Jeremy a good time. You are certainly qualified in *that* department."_

" _Adam, if you insist on acting like a clown, do it elsewhere. You are interrupting important business."_

" _I'm sure you have more important things to do with your time…then do it and let *us* get on with protecting the kingdom."_

" _Well, he'll need more than that if he wants to rule someday."_

_In reply to Teela saying, "Why can't Prince Adam show some interest in something other than fun, fun, fun!" the king stated firmly, "I wish…he would."_

" _No, the ceremony must begin on time. If Adam wishes for the people of Eternia to know that he has better things to do than listen to them, then let it be on his own head."_

" _I'm afraid my son doesn't take this problem seriously."_

"… _if you're right and there is 'nothing' going on here, then that means Adam really is the lazy, foolish, and horrible prince that everyone thinks he is. Either way, I don't like it."_

The Sorceress held her hand up to stop the images. "Would you like to see more?"

King Randor shook his head as a substantial amount of tears poured from his eyes. He backed away and the Sorceress sighed.

"I do not show you these things to hurt you," she said as she followed him to the throne steps. King Randor sat down and looked up at the Sorceress as she stood before him.

"I know," he whispered. "I asked you why I didn't deserve to know Adam's secret and you showed me why. I understand."

The Sorceress shook her head and replied, "But you don't understand, not completely." She waved her hand at the mirror again and a lightning fast montage of happy moments played: moments of a smaller Adam running to his father and jumping into his arms, moments of Randor exclaiming how intelligent and special his son was, moments of Randor simply smiling at the boy for something he had done…

"What has changed over the years is not Adam," the Sorceress explained when the images stopped again. "What has changed is you and what you notice."

Randor looked at the mirror, which had gone back to doing its normal function, and he stared at himself as the Sorceress continued to speak.

"You have made the assumption that I have deemed the others worthy of knowing Adam's secret." She shook her head in denial. "The only person I ever willingly told was Duncan and that was because I needed his help to help Adam. Other than him, everyone else simply took the time to notice. Not all of their revelations happened right away. Teela's was recent, but they found out on their own and you will know Adam's secret when you take the time to notice, like you used to, how extraordinary your son really is."

Randor looked down at his feet and nodded slowly. He understood, and with that acceptance, the anger he felt towards his family, Man-at-Arms, Teela, and even the Sorceress melted away. He finally understood that he was the one standing in the way of getting to know his son and understanding his son's actions.

When he stood, he nodded once at the woman before him and whispered, "Thank you."

As Randor started to walk away, the Sorceress called out loudly, "King Randor."

When he turned around, she motioned towards her mirror and announced, "I have one more thing to show you." When the king stepped back to the mirror, he was greeted by the sight a falcon turning into the Sorceress. She ran to Duncan, gently took a small red-headed baby from his arms, kissed the child's forehead, and hugged her closely. Afterward, the Sorceress placed the baby back in Man-at-Arms' arms. Randor gasped as he heard Duncan say, "I promise you, Teelana, that I will take care of her to the best of my ability."

Randor immediately turned to the Sorceress with his mouth gaped open.

The Sorceress smiled sadly at his expression and said softly, "I wanted to show you that you are not the only one who suffers because of secrets that can't be told until it is time. Even I have felt the sting of the secrets this castle makes me keep. I trust that you will keep what you have learned about Teela a secret."

Randor nodded, feeling extremely dumbfounded at what had been revealed! The Sorceress of Castle Grayskull was Teela's mother!

=)=)=)

Skeletor stared at the castle and debated whether he should change his plans. He had designed a plan to take Prince Adam from the palace yet again so he could see the desperation of his enemies as they tried and failed—he would make sure of that this time—to get the boy back, and yet a better opportunity had presented itself. He still wanted Prince Adam, but the use of his father would be a more sure fire way of ensuring his success.

He now knew that there was more to the young prince than he had led on and that they might need the added leverage of having King Randor in their grasps. After all, despite Beastman's whining and bumbling, he was a difficult opponent for a mere human to defeat, and yet, Prince Adam had accomplished that feat with no weapons or any other outside help. He had stood before a foe more powerful than him and won. Skeletor was impressed and with that came what others might call fear. The boy was barely a man. He had many years to mature into the person he could one day become, and if he already had the ability to stand up to Beastman, he knew the prince had the potential to be a horrible sight for him to behold in the future. He wanted to stop that future—at this point, it became more important than taking over Eternos or even Castle Grayskull. After all, one day King Randor would die and he was confident that he would far outlive the king. If Prince Adam could not take the throne, he knew he'd have an easier time taking over the planet and Castle Grayskull at that time. Of course, that still left him with He-Man and She-Ra, but as he had explained to the others earlier, the heroic duo seemed to care about Prince Adam. They had come to his aid recently and he wondered if getting rid of Prince Adam would be just the catalyst he needed to destroy his greatest enemies. All of these possibilities made it imperative for his men and him to get the prince out of the picture.

Skeletor's thoughts were interrupted by the sight of Castle Grayskull's drawbridge opening once again and someone in a long gray coat and hood stepped outside. He knew this had to be King Randor, who was trying to disguise himself since he was alone. Undoubtedly, the king realized he had spent quite a while in Castle Grayskull and now most of the planet was awake, which meant it was easier for him to be noticed if he walked around with his normal ensemble visible. Skeletor grinned as the figure began to make his way towards him.

Skeletor motioned for his men to move back and whispered, "It's King Randor, no doubt. It looks like we're about to get our bait."

As the others smiled, they hid behind several trees and waited patiently for Randor to reach them.

Once the king had walked up the hill and turned to stare at Castle Grayskull once more, the villains stepped out from their hiding places. "Well, how nice of you to visit us, King Randor!" exclaimed Skeletor in false gratitude. "We have been expecting you!"

Randor immediately whipped around, pushed the hood from his head, and yelled, "Skeletor!" He quickly ran to the side and picked up a large stick he saw laying on the ground.

Skeletor merely chuckled at the king's actions and turned to Beastman. "Get him, you fool!"

With a snarl, Beastman tried to do as commanded. He ran toward King Randor, but unfortunately for him, he still hadn't recovered from his fight with Prince Adam, so when King Randor twirled around him and hit him in the head with the stick, the beast immediately fell to the ground and stayed there.

Skeletor, letting out a frustrated groan, yelled, "Why do I surround myself with incompetent fools?"

Intent on proving Skeletor's opinion of them wrong, Evil-Lyn and Trap Jaw surrounded the king and laughed. "You're ours now, Randor," said Trap Jaw smugly. He held up his arm which had a freeze ray attached to it at the same time Evil-Lyn held up her wand.

King Randor saw that both were about to shoot at him so he did the only thing he could: he dropped to the ground at the last second hurriedly as both fired. Evil-Lyn's energy bolt hit Trap Jaw in the chest which sent him back several feet and slammed him into a tree. As for Trap Jaw's freeze ray blast, it hit Evil-Lyn and froze her instantly.

Skeletor shook his head in annoyance as Randor got to his feet and started to run. The king had only gotten about twenty feet away when Skeletor held up his Havoc Staff and hit him with an energy bolt from behind.

Immediately, Randor fell to the ground and the last thing the king heard before he passed out was Skeletor's sadistic laugh.


	35. Looking to the Future

Noticing Adam Chapter 35

Last week she wouldn’t have thought him capable of this. Last week she wouldn’t have even thought he would want to. And now, all she could do was stare at him in awe. Adam was finally showing who he really was: the Prince of Eternia. And, it was a remarkable thing to behold. The man she saw before her was certainly more regal than the Adam she had known over the past several years. The man before her had an air of confidence that was almost visible to everyone in the room. Everyone was riveted to the proceedings in a way that King Randor had never accomplished. She knew, though, that it was because this had been so unexpected. No one foresaw Adam taking charge today, but it looked so effortless. It looked like he belonged there…and of course, he did.

Teela listened as Adam spoke to commoners and nobility alike. He was making edicts and providing solutions to problems that seemed unsolvable to the people before him. She wondered how King Randor would react when he finally showed up and realized Adam had made several decrees without him. She hoped he would be proud—Adam deserved that.

As the captain continued to watch the prince, her mind drifted to thoughts of that very morning. This time Adam had kissed her, not only once but several times. And, he had asked if “this” was what they wanted and she had said yes…but what did that mean really? Were they now a couple and courting? 

Teela inhaled deeply at the thought. Courting the crown prince was more than a little intimidating. She knew all eyes would be on them as soon as word got out. And, of course, the inevitable gossip would occur. The courtiers would spurn her because she wasn’t really nobility—she was the help in their eyes as Adam’s cousin Lady Edwina had made so very clear on her last visit to Eternos. She was banished from the kingdom because of her actions that day, but the rest of them were exactly like her.

She glanced at the courtiers to the left of her and immediately glared at them with furrowed brows. They were watching Adam like a cat watched a bird—they wanted him. They kept their eyes glued to him and flipped their hair every time it seemed like Adam might turn in their direction. “Too bad for them his gaze never goes past me,” she thought cattily before she gasped at herself. She realized she might be getting far too possessive already, but then she thought, “Well, I am still his bodyguard so it’s my duty to be protective, especially when the threats come from man-eating harpies.”

At that thought, Teela grinned at herself amusedly and turned her attention back to Adam who was looking directly at her with a questioning expression. She shook her head once and mouthed, “Later.” Adam gave a curt nod and called the next speaker.

=)=)=)

The floor was cold, dirty, and crawling with vermin and King Randor awoke with his face planted firmly on it. With a groan of pain and a spasm in his back, the king forced himself to sit up so he could see his surroundings. He then knew without contemplation that he was in Snake Mountain’s dungeon. He looked around to see if he could find a way out but nothing readily stood out to him. He sighed in frustration because he knew he couldn’t rely on Duncan, the Sorceress, or He-Man to get him out—they didn’t even know he was missing! He knew they thought he was somewhere in the palace, feeling angry or distraught about everyone knowing Adam’s secret but him. He realized at that moment he had truly put himself in a tight spot. “I have to stop doing that,” he thought as he looked around the cell again. 

He wondered where they had kept Adam when they had kidnapped him. Was it a place just like the one he was in now? The thought made him angry, especially when he remembered Adam’s appearance when he had returned: his clothes were dirty, disheveled, and torn. Also, his belt had been missing. Whatever the conditions were, he realized they hadn’t been good.

As thoughts of hatred churned in the king’s mind, Skeletor walked into the cell and startled Randor. Almost instantly, he was on his feet, wary of being on the ground when his enemy was in the room with him. 

“Let me go, Skeletor,” demanded Randor calmly. He wouldn’t let Skeletor see any weakness when they spoke. He tried to project an air of certainty that he would get out of this.

Skeletor surprised the king by stating excitedly, “Maybe when the time comes, I will, King Randor!”

“What do you mean?”

Skeletor chuckled merrily and replied, “I have sent a message to Prince Adam that I will release you if he agrees to be my prisoner. I have a feeling he will accept.”

“No!” shouted Randor, balling up his fist threateningly at his sides. “I swear, villain, if you touch one hair on that boy’s head, you will regret it!”

Skeletor stepped closer to Randor—the closest they had ever been in their lives—and said, “We’ll just have to see about that.”

Immediately, Randor pushed Skeletor away from him forcefully; he wouldn’t try his luck by hitting him at this time. The king knew that wouldn’t be wise considering the circumstances, but he had to show the scoundrel he wasn’t afraid of him.

Unfortunately for the king, Skeletor didn’t take too kindly to being pushed either, so the villain immediately held up his hand, which glowed brightly, and Randor found himself flying backwards into the wall. Afterward, he fell forward and crashed onto the ground. Skeletor then stood directly in front of his prisoner, looking down as the king glanced up at him bitterly, and said, “But I think I’ll keep you both so you can see exactly what we have in store for your son.”

Before Randor could get up to run at him, Skeletor walked out of the cell and locked it again. With a laugh, he left as the king took his crown off and ran a hand through his hair nervously.

=)=)=)

Sitting on the throne for hours listening to people complain made Adam admire and respect his father a whole lot more. Even though most of the time when his father held court Adam was in the room, unless he was on a mission with Duncan—and he had to admit that was a lot of the time, as well—being on the throne was nothing like watching it from below. 

Normally when he watched his father, he could find ways to amuse himself when he was bored or find ways to cheer himself up when something depressing came up. After all, he usually had a number of people beside him that he could talk to. He could whisper and make comments, jokes, or whatever was needed. But he couldn’t do that when he was on the throne. Everyone’s attention was on him—he was the one being spoken to so he couldn’t disengage. The public would feel it insurmountably. They would begin to think the king—or in this case, the prince—didn’t care or that their problems weren’t worth his time. Because of that, there was no downtime until everyone had been heard, and then it would be time to relax. 

So, Adam remained seated the entire time and gave everyone his upmost attention until everyone had the opportunity to speak. Sighing as the final person walked away, Adam looked to his mother and said, “Thank the Ancients.”

As Marlena nodded, commotion was heard at the entrance of the throne room. Suddenly, Orko flew quickly from a crowd with parchment in his hands, saying frantically, “Adam! Adam!”

Immediately, the prince rushed down the throne and once his mother, Cringer, Adora, Teela, and Man-at-Arms were at his side, he asked, “What’s wrong, Orko?” 

“We just received a letter from Skeletor. He has King Randor!”

Everyone struggled for breath at that moment—it was like the oxygen had been taken from the room—except for Cringer who quickly dropped to the floor to cover his eyes with his massive paws and shook frantically. Adam took the message from Orko and read it quickly.

“Adam?” questioned Marlena fearfully.

“He wants to trade: Father for me,” he whispered.

Immediately, Marlena, Teela, and Adora shook their heads. His sister grabbed his hand and said, “He-Man and She-Ra can get Father back.”

Adam closed his eyes tightly and he almost seemed angry for a moment, but when he opened them, they looked calm and determined. “He said if he saw He-Man or She-Ra, he would dispose of Father immediately. I don’t know what that means—I don’t even want to contemplate what that means—but I know he means it. We can’t take the risk, Adora. We have to comply with Skeletor’s wishes, at least for now.”

“Adam, no,” stated Marlena firmly. “I know Randor wouldn’t want this. We’ll find another way.”

Adam shook his head again and argued, “I can handle Skeletor far better than Father can. It’ll be easier for me to find a way to escape. I have to get him back, Mother. I’m not willing to lose him.”

Marlena closed the distance between Adam and herself and hugged him desperately. “Why is this happening?” she questioned. “Skeletor has never been so persistent before. He has a new scheme every day now, it seems!”

Adam pulled back a little and whispered, “I guess now you can see why I’ve been so tired and a little moody recently. This has been going on for far longer than you know.”

Marlena and Adora gasped at Adam’s words. Adora knew her brother had complained about being busy with Skeletor day after day, but experiencing it firsthand made her understand the extent of what her brother had been through recently. “Oh, Adam, why didn’t you call for help?” she cried and threw her arms around her brother tightly.

“Ah, sis, let’s not get back on this again. I’ve already let you kick my butt once for not asking,” he joked, trying to lighten the mood.

He failed miserably. “I believe that was Skeletor and Beastman,” she whispered, as her voice caught sharply.

Adam immediately wrapped an arm around Adora and his mother and held them tightly. He let his eyes fall on Teela and he could tell she was worried, as well. “I’ll be okay,” he said, looking straight at her.

The Captain of the Guard stepped forward and paid no heed to the courtiers that were watching, or the fact that he had family members on each side of him. She leaned forward and kissed him softly on the lips. It was soft and brief but enough to comfort each other. “You better be,” she whispered. “The mission is to go in, get your father, and get out. Do that and get yourself back to the palace as quickly as possible. Do you understand me, Adam?”

Adam smiled softly as Teela spoke to him as though he were her soldier. He never thought she would think him capable enough to do anything that would require her to use such words and voice. Even though she knew differently now, he had a suspicion that her pretense as Captain of the Guard at this moment was so she could put a positive face forward and not show him her true feelings. He knew what they were, though. He could see it in her eyes—she didn’t like this and she didn’t want him to go.

“Yes, I do,” he whispered back. “I’ll be back as quickly as I can.”

He then looked back over at Adora and said insistently, “And, you have to stay here, Adora. You, too, Cringer.” When his sister started to complain, he interrupted her by saying sharply, “It’s not negotiable! He didn’t ask for you, and I need you here in case something does happen.”

At Teela’s and Marlena’s sharp intake of breath, he looked at them and insisted, “I will be okay. This is ‘just-in-case measure.’ I need Adora here. It’s safer this way for the time being.” He looked back down at his sister and whispered, “You know I’ll contact you if I need you. I know you’ll be able to feel it, anyway.”

Adora nodded and held onto her brother tightly again. Finally, after comforting the most important women in his life, his eyes drifted to Man-at-Arms. His mentor stepped forward and said, “Let’s go over some strategies before you go. I don’t want you walking into Snake Mountain without any plans in mind.”

=)=)=)

The talk hadn’t been as long as Adam had expected. Man-at-Arms had been rather insistent that Adam not bring out the Power Sword until he could change. It was imperative for Skeletor to not know he had it. Adam agreed. If things got heated, he’d have to find a different weapon. He hoped it didn’t come down to that, though. He hoped Skeletor wouldn’t back out —which was entirely possible—and be a man of his word. He wanted it to be an easy trade: he would surrender, his father would be let go, he would be placed in a prison cell, he’d turn into He-Man, and he’d break his way out of Snake Mountain. It seemed so simple…and that was the problem, it seemed a little too simple. He knew there was no way Skeletor could head off their plans—he didn’t know he was He-Man after all, but he just had a feeling that Skeletor was going to give a little more than they were used to. After all, they wanted Prince Adam and that in and of itself was out of the ordinary. Why the sudden obsession? Was it really his fight with Beastman that spawned such attention? A thought crossed his mind that they might know he was He-Man but he quickly dismissed the idea. Things would already be a lot worse if they did know.

Adam walked outside and made his way over to one of the Windraiders. He decided this was the best way to get there. After all, it would be the easiest and fastest way for his father to get back to the palace. He didn’t want him walking such a long distance without protection. Besides, he currently wanted to get to Snake Mountain quickly so he could get this over with. 

Just as the prince selected a Windraider and walked around it to get behind the controls, a body suddenly collided with his and pushed him against the nearby wall. “Teela!” gasped Adam, startled. But there was no time for any other words because Teela’s lips quickly met his.

They kissed for several long moments, simply holding the other around the waist so they could be close and moving their lips against each other softly to savor the experience. When they finally stopped for breath, Teela looked up into his eyes and whispered, “It’s not fair.”

“What isn’t?” 

“Everything,” she answered. “You’ve been through so much already: you’ve had to deal with your secret which has caused you so much trouble for the last two years. Your father and I thought you were a coward and a sloth, and that was the furthest from the truth. And, just as I find out your secret and you and your father start getting along again, this happens. It isn’t fair.”

Adam pulled Teela to him and held her tightly as she rested her head against his shoulder. “Life isn’t fair,” he replied. “But a lot of good has come out of all of this. Eternia is a lot safer than it would have been otherwise. Maybe Father and I will build a stronger relationship than we’ve ever had before—only time will tell with that one.” Adam suddenly pulled back and raised his hand under Teela’s chin to get her to look at him. “But there’s one thing I know for certain: we wouldn’t be here like this now if it had been any other way.”

Teela sighed and said, “We might have remained as close as we were when we were kids, and we might not have had such a rift between us.”

“That may be true, but I think the hardships have brought us closer together. We can truly appreciate each other for who the other is and for what we have endured. We wouldn’t have had that opportunity otherwise. We have seen each other in all circumstances: when we were happy, sad, concerned, angry, violent, and calm. If I had been a mere prince, I don’t think I would have travelled along with you on so many adventures to save Eternia and Castle Grayskull. It wouldn’t have been allowed and I would have been much more of a hindrance to you if I had tried. I might have gotten you or myself killed because I wouldn’t have had to hide behind a careless and lazy prince persona. And, don’t say you wouldn’t have been distracted if you had known I had been there all those times when you fought in battle. In the back of your mind, I know you would have been thinking about protecting me…and it wouldn’t have worked. But because of my secret, even though you didn’t know at the time, we now know we are the best partners on the entire planet. There is no one I’d rather have at my side on the worst days, and I hope you feel the same way about me.”

“I do,” whispered Teela as tears rolled down her cheeks. Suddenly Teela stepped back and wiped away her tears hurriedly. “I’m sorry, Adam. I don’t know why I’m crying and turning into this huge pile of squishy mess. I just…”

Adam took her hand and said, “You don’t have to explain. I know.” He brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it softly as he gazed into her eyes. “You wish I didn’t have to go or you wish you could go with me, and it’s killing you that neither is possible right now. All I can say to comfort you, Teela, is that I will come back. It might not be along with my father, but I will try my best to find a way out of Snake Mountain and return to you.”

“Return to me,” she repeated with an upturn of her lips. 

“Yes,” he said with a chuckle. “It seems so surreal that I’m able to say that to you now. I was seriously starting to think that I had better start looking for the future Princess of Eternia elsewhere. I thought you’d never be able to see past my façade.” 

Teela immediately frowned and stated firmly, “I wouldn’t have let you.”

“Wouldn’t have let me what?” asked Adam with a smile, already knowing where she was going, but he wanted to hear her say it.

“I wouldn’t have let you marry one of those awful courtiers.”

“And, how would you have stopped me?”

“The same way I’m stopping you now,” she said as she leaned up and kissed him again. This time the kiss showed the passion they felt for one another: they pressed their lips against the other almost desperately as Teela’s hands raked through Adam’s hair and held him to her as he lifted his hands into her hair and pulled the restraints out of her hair. When it came falling down, Adam pulled back and looked at her. 

“I haven’t seen you this way in years,” he whispered. “I missed it.” He then leaned forward and gave her a kiss that took her breath away. Adam held nothing back as he moved his lips against hers, smoothing her lips with his tongue and then nibbling on it gently. Her gasp was just what he needed to explore her farther and he pulled her closer as he deepened the kiss.

But all too soon, the moment was over and Adam knew he had to end the moment. He stepped back and reached up to hold her shoulders. “I have to go now,” he explained regretfully. At Teela’s look of dismay, he gave her a look of confidence and said, “I’m going to need you to put on your Captain of the Guard persona and be strong for your father and my mother…and you might need to keep my sister in line and stop her from following.”

Teela immediately straightened her posture at Adam’s words and blew a deep breath out of her lungs to calm herself and to rid her face of all emotion. “I won’t let you down, Adam,” she stated as an officer might to his or her commanding officer, which in this situation was actually the case.

He smiled at her again and said, “I know you won’t, and I won’t let you down.”

At Teela’s quick nod, Adam pulled away and got into the Windraider. “Tell Mother and Adora I’m sorry I didn’t stop inside to say good-bye. I thought it would be easier this way,” he said after he started the machine. 

Soon he was gone, and Teela stared into the distance until she could no longer discern anything in the sky. 

=)=)=)

It wasn’t often that Adam found himself traveling to Snake Mountain alone and as himself, not He-Man. He found the experience a little daunting but not enough to keep him from doing what was right and rescuing his father. As the lightning crackled through the air as he entered the Dark Hemisphere, he thought about all the possible scenarios that could happen. Despite the brave front he had put on for everyone at the palace, he knew the situation was dire and that he might even die. That’s why he wanted Adora at the palace. She would have followed him even into death, he knew, and he needed her safe and where their parents, Teela, and Duncan could stop her from doing something rash…and she would be heir to the throne. Yes, there was still Etheria to be concerned with but they would find a way…if he died. And, he truly hoped he wouldn’t but he knew the possibility was there. But he’d try to make sure that didn’t happen. He had too much to live for now: his relationship with his father was mending (if the king could accept why everyone knew his secret and he didn’t) and the love of his life at the very least liked him romantically. He didn’t know how far her feelings went, but if their last meeting together at the palace told him anything, it was that she felt strongly for him even if it wasn’t love yet. 

He wanted to explore what they could have to the fullest, but he quickly turned his thoughts away from Teela. He needed to be focused and the sight of Snake Mountain brought everything into perspective. The first thing he had to do was to get inside and make sure they set his father free. After that, he’d do as he promised Teela—he’d find his way back to her.

And, at that moment it seemed like Skeletor was helping his aims because suddenly the Windraider shook and the controls were no longer working properly. He was being pulled toward Snake Mountain and onto Skeletor’s launch pad. Meeting him there was Skeletor, Evil-Lyn, Trap Jaw, and Beastman. He didn’t say anything in response. He merely got out of the ship and looked around.

Finally, he asked, “Where’s my father?”

“Inside,” answered Skeletor. “We wanted to make sure there were no surprises from He-Man.”

“There isn’t, so release him.”

“Once we get you inside.”

Adam didn’t like this; he had a horrible feeling, but he knew he had no choice. He willingly followed Skeletor inside as the rest of his crew followed him. He knew it was so they could capture him quickly. He closed his eyes briefly and breathed deeply to prepare himself for that moment. He continued to follow Skeletor until they reached the dungeon. 

When Skeletor stopped, Adam looked into the cell that they were near and gasped. “Father!” he exclaimed.

“Adam!” yelled Randor as he got up and ran to the bars. “No! Get out of here! Don’t you dare risk yourself for me! As your father and king, I’m telling you to go home!

Adam shook his head slowly and asked, “Do you really think they’d let me leave now, Father? Besides, I came here to make sure they released you, so that’s what I’m going to do.”

Skeletor opened the cell door as he pointed his Havoc Staff at the king and said, “Get in and I’ll let King Randor out.”

“No!” yelled King Randor. And, Adam stared at the door for a moment and shook his head abruptly.

“No,” he answered. “Let my father out first, and then I’ll step inside.”

Skeletor shook his head and asked, “Why? So you and the king can rush at me together? I don’t think so.”

The prince narrowed his brows. “You have a lot of your men here. If we were planning to do that, I’m sure you could defeat us. I just want my father outside the prison before I get in. I want to see him let go. That was the deal, Skeletor.”

Skeletor looked at Trap Jaw and Evil-Lyn and nodded. “And, so it was,” said Skeletor almost cheerfully, “but there’s been a change of plans! Get him!”

Suddenly, Trap Jaw was running at Adam, but the prince saw him and quickly flipped the villain and threw him aside in much the same manner he had Beastman when they had first fought. As Trap Jaw fell to the floor, Evil-Lyn used her wand to freeze him, but Adam fell to the floor and rolled out of the way. As soon as he got up, though, she shot another ray at him and when he moved to miss it, suddenly two very strong arms wrapped around him and lifted him slightly off the ground. It was Beastman.

“Let me go, Beastman, or you’ll pay for this!” yelled Adam as he struggled to break the villain’s hold but it was useless. The beast tightened his hold on the prince and he gasped in pain. It was almost excruciating.

“It’s payback time for you, Prince,” he replied as he walked to the cell and threw him inside. Trap Jaw and Evil-Lyn quickly walked into the cell behind Beastman and pointed their weapons at the king to make sure he stayed back. As Adam fell to the ground from being pushed inside, Beastman walked behind him and kicked him in the ribs as hard as he could. “That’s for humiliating me twice,” he whispered hostilely so no one could hear before turning around and exiting the cell. Once they were out and had locked the cage, Randor immediately fell to his knees beside his son. “Adam!” he cried. “Adam, are you all right?”

As Adam held his stomach and coughed because of the fierce blow to his stomach, Randor shook his head and shouted, “It was stupid for you to come here, son! Don’t you know how important you are to the future of Eternia! You should have known they wouldn’t keep their word.”

“I know,” Adam wheezed out, “but I couldn’t sit back and do nothing. Besides, they threatened to dispose of you and I couldn’t live with myself if they had and I didn’t even try to stop it.”

Adam and Randor looked at each other for a moment before hugging each other desperately. As Adam squeezed his father tightly, he realized he was right earlier—things would be harder than anticipated. Ironically, Skeletor had done the one thing that prevented him from turning into He-Man and busting out of here: he had imprisoned him with his father.


	36. Randor's Step in the Right Direction

Noticing Adam Chapter 36

Teela watched the Windraider until she could no longer see it in the distance. She was filled with an overwhelming sense of dread—she was afraid Adam would get hurt or worse…that he wouldn't find his way back. Despite his brave front, she knew he might be captured or even killed. She wouldn't be able to go on if the latter happened, so she knew what she had to do. Abruptly, Teela turned and ran to the throne room. As she sprinted inside, Adora, Marlena, and Cringer rushed to her side immediately.

Adora asked, "Where's Adam? I thought you were going to see what was taking him and Man-at-Arms so long."

At that moment, Duncan walked into the room and looked around as everyone else looked at the door waiting for Adam to walk in. When it became obvious he wasn't there, they asked simultaneously, "Where's Adam?"

Teela gripped Adora's shoulder comfortingly and answered, "He already left for Snake Mountain. He said he thought it would be easier that way for everyone."

Just as Adora started to complain, Teela shook her head quickly and said, "Instead of fussing, just turn into She-Ra and let's go!"

"What?" everyone asked clearly shocked.

Teela smirked. "Yes, Adam told us to stay here and he even told me to make sure you stayed, but he must have forgotten who he was talking to! I have no intention of letting him go through this alone! I am still Adam's bodyguard—he's not going as He-Man."

Adora smiled and laughed as she hugged the captain. "You have no idea how happy I am to hear you say that," she stated with relief evident in her voice. She then moved away from everyone, pulled out a sword from her back that seemingly came from nowhere, and said, "For the Honor of Grayskull…"

Marlena and Teela stood in shock as they watched the transformation occur. By the time, Adora stated, "I am She-Ra!" the air had been driven from their bodies. It took them a few moments to say something.

"Wow!" gasped Teela. "That was…that was something!"

Marlena nodded and agreed, "Yes, it was, and I have no doubt Adam's transformation is just as impressive."

She-Ra smiled and said, "Even more so! I'm in awe every time I see it. His is a little more…violent than mine with lightning. It's hard to explain. You'll just have to see it."

Instead of waiting for anyone to respond, She-Ra turned her attention to Man-at-Arms and inquired, "Do you plan on coming with us?"

Duncan didn't hesitate. "Normally, I would say no and stop you. I usually follow Adam's wishes in these matters, but I have a bad feeling about his going alone. Yes, I'm joining you."

Orko suddenly appeared in the room and exclaimed, "I want to go, too!"

=)=)=)

It didn't make sense—it really didn't.

King Randor watched his son as he sat on the floor against the wall. Adam had his arms wrapped around his legs and his chin was resting on his knees. To some, it might have looked like a protective posture but Randor could tell he was merely thinking. The prince was moving his eyes constantly, studying every portion of their cell as well as the outer room. It looked like he was planning an escape…and that's what didn't make any sense whatsoever.

Adam was the one who ran from trouble. For so many years, he believed his son didn't have any backbone at all, but recent events had proven that notion wrong. For two years he had told everyone close to him that he wished Adam was more of a prince. He certainly had been everything the king had wished for and more recently: the boy stood up to him when he never had before, he stood face-to-face with Skeletor and didn't even flinch, he had fought Beastman for Teela's safe return and won, and he had come to Snake Mountain alone to trade himself for his father's release despite knowing that it was probably a trap. These actions certainly didn't fit with the image he had of Adam for the past two years.

And, he found that troubling. He knew as sure as he was king that Adam hadn't changed overnight or even within the week. Bravery of this kind didn't simply appear from nowhere. No. Adam must have had this attribute for a long time…and Randor was ashamed. He was ashamed that he hadn't noticed. Marlena, and even Duncan, was always lenient with Adam—he had thought they made excuses for him. He wondered now if they had seen something in Adam that he had completely missed or simply disregarded.

Regardless, a father should know his son better than he obviously knew Adam. And, at that notion, he thought back to his morning at Castle Grayskull. The Sorceress had shown him many things from the past, but the most vivid was her message: in the past, he had noticed how truly remarkable and special his son really was and that had changed.

Randor couldn't help but ask himself why. He honestly didn't know. He tried to pinpoint a time when their relationship had gotten so off track. While sitting in the cell alone before Adam had shown up, he had contemplated this question and forced himself to find an answer: it was a little after his eighteenth birthday—his thoughts always came back to that time. Adam and he had drifted apart. Looking back, he had to question why, and he surely didn't know quite how it had happened. One moment Adam was by his side, learning everything he could about the kingdom and then his son had started missing things.

It had started off small. He had shown up late to a couple of meetings and court. At the time, he had thought Adam wanted a break, so he merely commented on the lateness but didn't really reproach him for it. But things escalated: soon Adam was missing meetings entirely, leaving during moments when the palace or his friends were being attacked, and he no longer seemed interested in the kingdom. The boy could never be found except when he was in the presence of Man-at-Arms and how that had happened…

Randor paused. "How had that happened?" he asked himself silently as he wrinkled his brow. Duncan and Adam had always been close, but they had definitely grown a lot closer over the last two years. In retrospect, he realized how odd that was: Adam had taken a step back from a lot of close relationships, but the one he had shared with Duncan strengthened. It strengthened so much in fact that he could argue that Adam and Duncan were best friends instead of Duncan and himself. That definitely didn't make sense since Duncan was very big on responsibility and had never shown any hesitation in punishing Adam or pointing out his failings as the boy grew up. He wouldn't have put up with the boy's foolishness. So, what had happened?

He knew the answer—he knew he had already discovered the answer to that recently. If there was anyone in that palace who knew exactly what was going on with Adam, it was Man-at-Arms. It seemed like many people now knew Adam's secret, but Randor had a feeling Duncan knew from the beginning. After all, the Sorceress did admit Duncan was the only one she had ever told. Surely, she had told him when all of this started.

"And, it started when he turned eighteen," he said aloud.

=)=)=)

Adam looked over at his father startled as he heard the king's words. He could only assume the words were about him since they were so accurate. Quickly, he debated with himself if he should say anything or just ignore the moment so no interrogation would occur, but he realized he couldn't let the moment pass by. It was the perfect opportunity to bring up what had happened the night before. "What's that, Father?" he asked loudly to interrupt the king's thoughts.

Now it was Randor's turn to look startled. The king jumped a little before he turned to look at his son.

Adam cleared his throat a little and repeated his question.

Randor immediately met his eyes with his own. "I've been thinking about everything that's happened recently," he admitted.

Adam immediately got up from his spot on the floor and wobbly made his way over to his father.

The king quickly stood and grabbed his shoulder. "What's wrong?" He sounded a little frantic.

Adam smiled and laughed a little. He used his father's hand to help himself sit down slowly. Soon Randor joined him, sitting right beside him, and waited expectantly.

The prince sighed as he looked at his father—he knew the king wouldn't discuss anything else now so he might as well address it. "You know I still have a concussion, Father," he answered. At Randor's widened eyes, he continued hurriedly, "Don't worry. The dizziness only happens periodically. I'm okay."

The king seemed to study Adam for several long moments before he replied, "I'm surprised you're not worse off. Concussions take time to heal and yet you're getting along better than I had anticipated, especially since you felt well enough to come to Snake Mountain."

The prince looked down at the ground. Injuries never stayed with him long, even those that he had gotten as Adam, as he had discussed with Man-at-Arms and Adora recently—actually changing into He-Man quickened it even moreso. He supposed that was one of the perks about carrying the Power Sword. And, it was a testament to how ruthless Skeletor had been recently. Old bonehead had managed to hurt and tire both Adam and He-Man for a longer time period than normal. He shrugged at his father and said, "I'm just lucky, I guess."

Adam could tell the king didn't believe that for one second, and in a moment of habit, he almost worried about it. He had spent many years worrying about his father finding out his secret. Usually at a moment like this when his father was skeptical of something he had told him or questioning something concerning He-Man, he would do anything he could to throw the king off his course of thought. He'd talk of nonsense, stumble on something, or run into a table…anything. But he didn't do that now. He smiled as he realized again that he wanted his father to find out. The Sorceress said he couldn't tell him his secret, but she never added on the stipulation that he had to stop him.

He stared at his father with hopeful eyes and the king gasped.

=)=)=)

Adam wanted him to figure it out—he could tell! Why else would Adam have such an expression of intense hope in this situation? He clearly wasn't relying on his father to find a way to get them out of there.

He hoped he wouldn't let his son down. He had done enough of that recently, and he honestly felt like he was on the verge of figuring it out. He didn't have an inkling as to what it could be at this moment, but obviously Adam thought he was going in the right direction! He smiled at his son and wrapped an arm around his shoulder pulling him closer. "I'm proud of you," whispered Randor. "You know that, right?"

Adam faced forward and glanced at him a couple of times through his peripheral vision. He began tapping his fingers nervously.

It was another sign of his own wrongdoings that Randor felt ashamed about: his son obviously didn't take compliments of this kind well…and he knew it was because he so rarely received them. His adult life had been spent being ridiculed by his father and king. Adam's oral response to his words was so soft that he almost missed it.

"Why?" he questioned.

"For so many things," he said firmly. "I'm proud that you finally stood up to me when I was badmouthing your character."

When Adam opened his mouth to deny the king's words, he interjected, "I was badmouthing you, Adam, so don't try to say I wasn't. I accused you of some horrible things that obviously weren't true."

"It wasn't your fault," stated Adam confidently, but Randor ignored him.

"I'm proud that you stood up to the Sorceress when you wanted to tell me your secret. I know you gave in to her wishes eventually, but I have no doubt it was because you believed it was the right thing to do. I'm also proud that you held your ground against Skeletor and fought Beastman to protect Teela."

At Adam's shocked expression, he clarified, "I'm not saying I liked it and that I want you to do it again—I don't—but I understand and I'm proud of you for doing it." The king continued, "Just like I'm proud you came here to protect me…even if it wasn't your smartest decision ever." The king immediately grinned, and Adam laughed loudly.

"You just had to throw a criticism in there, didn't you?" he asked in false anger.

Randor continued to grin and said, "Well, I wanted to make sure you knew it was me saying the words and not some entity that entered my body who thought you deserved to hear more praise from your father."

At that, Adam grew silent. "You weren't a bad father," he whispered eventually, "so stop talking like you were."

Randor's smile immediately faded and replied solemnly, "I clearly wasn't a good one."

Adam shook his head emphatically, which made him wince a little. "Yes, you were!" he cried, ignoring that the room was spinning slightly. "You are! I know we butted heads recently, but…I am the man I am today because of you! You taught me how to be a man of worth. I've learned so many things about life from you…the way you treat your people, your friends, and Mother. You are everything I want to emulate. I can only hope that I will one day live up to your example."

Randor drew his son close again and said comfortingly, "You already do. I only hope that one day you will forgive me for taking so long to notice."

"And, I hope you forgive me for keeping secrets from you."

"It's not your fault," the king said, shaking his head slightly. "I know the Sorceress forbade you from telling anyone."

Adam nodded slightly and looked down at the floor. This was the opening he was looking for. "You're not angry at Mother, are you? Yes, she knows my secret, but she never confirmed her suspicions until recently. She…she wanted you to know. That's why she made such a big deal about my disappearing. She wanted you to notice my comings and goings so you could figure it out. She knew it wasn't her place to tell you."

Suddenly, Adam looked around and began to laugh almost hysterically.

"What is it?" questioned Randor, looking at Adam as if he had lost his mind.

Adam continued to shake his head as he wiped a few tears from his eyes. "What a place for me to have this conversation! Snake Mountain! You really have no idea how ironic this is, truly!"

Randor looked around and said, "I suppose it is, but at least we're not discussing anything that vital to the protection of Eternia. THEN, this would be a terrible place to have the conversation."

Adam immediately looked away from the king, and Randor furrowed his brow in question. "Adam?"

The prince shook his head, straightened his shoulders, and commanded firmly, "Just tell me you're not mad at Mother."

Shocked at the sudden change in his son's demeanor, he replied, "Of course, I'm not mad at your mother. I was more upset than I was angry when I walked out last night. It hurt that I was the only person who didn't know, but I know it's my own fault. I know everyone besides Duncan figured it out on their own."

At Adam's questioning gaze, he said, "I spent the morning at Castle Grayskull talking with the Sorceress."

"How did that happen?" asked Adam, surprised at the news.

"I went there to speak with her."

"And, she just volunteered that information?"

"Yes, among other things."

"What other things?"

"Just moments of the past," he answered. "Things I had forgotten and needed reminding of again." He smiled at Adam as he thought about the confident ten-year-old who had stood up to Prime Minister Pangus and told him he should let his prisoner go.

=)=)=)

They had a full Windraider. She-Ra and Teela sat in the front seat, and Man-at-Arms, Orko, and Cringer sat in the backseat. Teela questioned whether she really should have brought so many, but how could she deny them when she wasn't even supposed to be there in the first place? The only individual who might have actually wanted to stay behind was Cringer, but for once he had put a brave face forward and hadn't even complained when her father beckoned him to join them.

The silence was almost unbearable, but she knew everyone was consumed with thoughts of Adam. They were all worried, and she was shocked to find herself quaking with the thought of someone hurting him. She had never liked the possibility, but now that she knew it was possible and would continue to be possible everyday, she wanted to grab him, run to a secluded island, and protect him forever. But he was Eternia's champion as well as the Crown Prince. It wouldn't be possible and it was an irrational desire anyway.

As they entered the Dark Hemisphere, Teela began searching for a place to land. They had already decided that they would not fly directly to Snake Mountain. A Windraider would be easy to spot and they did not want to take the chance of Skeletor hurting Adam or the king if he was still there. Skeletor had promised to dispose of the king if he saw She-Ra. She looked over at Adam's twin and hoped she made the right decision to ask Adora to change. It had seemed like the better option at the time but now she was having doubts.

"Should Adora be She-Ra given Skeletor's threat?" she questioned. She cringed when she realized she had spoken aloud. When She-Ra turned to her, she hurriedly explained, "I know I'm the one who told you to transform or whatever you do, but I can't help but worry."

"We don't plan on letting Skeletor know we're coming," replied She-Ra.

"Yes, but that doesn't mean he won't see us coming," countered Teela. "Do not underestimate Skeletor. You don't know him like the rest of us do, but just for a frame of reference, I do recall Adam telling me about numerous stories where Skeletor and Hordak fought one another in front of He-Man and She-Ra…Skeletor won every single time. He knows what he's doing, unfortunately."

=)=)=)

She-Ra was surprised at Teela's words. She had never thought about Hordak's battles with Skeletor before, but she realized Teela was right! Skeletor had always managed to one-up Hordak every single time they had a run-in. She-Ra laughed a little at the thought of offering Skeletor a spot in the Rebellion to help defeat his old mentor. Of course, she would never really do that. Besides, she would never forgive Skeletor for his recent acts against her brother and father. He had gone too far this time.

"What do you think, Man-at-Arms?" She-Ra asked Duncan, forcing her current thoughts away. She would deal with that at another time. "Should I be She-Ra or Adora?"

Man-at-Arms thought for several long moments before he answered, "If Skeletor plans on hurting Adam or Randor, he'll do it whether She-Ra shows up or not. I truly believe that."

"So She-Ra it is," said She-Ra. She looked over at Teela and whispered, "Don't worry, Teela, we'll make sure Adam gets out of there safe and sound. I promise."

It was odd to find herself comforting Teela when Adam was her brother, but she quickly realized the captain was becoming the most important woman in Adam's life. They meant a lot to one another and She-Ra couldn't help the frown that covered her face. She would never step between Adam and Teela, but she was a little jealous. Teela had already shared a childhood with Adam that she should have had with him, and now that she had finally gotten to know Adam and was able to build a close relationship with him, Teela was already pulling him away. It was a different kind of love, she knew. Adora was Adam's twin and Teela could never take that away from her…but she also knew Teela had filled the role of sister when they were younger before their feelings had evolved into something else. For the millionth time since she met Adam, she wished Hordak had never kidnapped her and that she had grown up beside Adam on Eternia.

=)=)=)

Adam and Randor still sat beside one another in the cell except now they had plates of food in front of them. Neither had touched anything. He knew part of the reason was because they were questioning whether they could trust to eat and drink anything from Skeletor, but in his case, he knew it was also because he was thinking about their earlier conversation.

He knew what was bothering him: their conversation had ended when he had made the comment that their discussion would only have been inappropriate if it dealt with the defense of Eternia. Adam had looked away and briskly went back to the earlier topic concerning his mother.

Randor looked at Adam as he contemplated what that meant. It was now brutally clear that whatever Adam's secret was, it did deal with Eternia's defense and that it was something huge. Guilt immediately rose in the king's chest. Once again he remembered his past belief that Adam hadn't cared about protecting Eternia. He obviously did. Adam was and had been doing something to protect Eternia, but the question was when and how.

As he continued to stare at Adam, another question arose in his mind and he knew it was the right one to answer. It was one he had been asking himself and Adam constantly recently, but he never thought the answer would be anything like this. Adam hadn't answered it any of the times he had asked it earlier and he knew his son wouldn't, because it would give him all the answers he wanted. He knew he would have to figure it out on his own, but at least he knew where to begin now. He knew when to pay attention and what to look for.

Where did Adam go and what did he do when he disappeared in moments of danger?


	37. Killing Hopes for the Future

Noticing Adam Chapter 37

Skeletor stood at his monitor where he watched various locations throughout Eternia. The machine had come in handy plenty of times in the past and he knew it would again.

Evil-Lyn stood behind Skeletor as he flipped through the cameras with Beastman and Clawful. "What are you doing, Skeletor?" she questioned, sounding almost annoyed that he hadn't shared his latest plan yet. All she knew was that it involved Prince Adam and King Randor. Other than that, he hadn't divulged a single detail.

"I'm looking for the rescue party," he replied.

Trap Jaw walked into the room and said, "I thought you warned them not to send one."

Skeletor turned around and snapped, "Imbecile, do you really think they're not going to try? I have their prince and their king. Besides, I said I had better not see He-Man and She-Ra! I never had a doubt in my mind that a rescue attempt would be made. The letter was sent to get Prince Adam here without the muscle-headed duo accompanying him. I knew they would come later."

"Why do we want Prince Adam in the first place?" asked Clawful. "He's nothing to us."

Skeletor turned back to the monitor and replied, "Because he's the future King of Eternia, twit, or at least he would have been."

"Would have been?" asked Beastman suddenly getting happy. "What are you planning to do?"

Skeletor yelled an enthusiastic "Ah ha!" as he focused the monitor on a Windraider landing several hundred yards away from Snake Mountain. He laughed triumphantly and answered, "We are going to break the Eternians' spirits. We're going to crush their every hope for the future."

=)=)=)

"What do they want from us?" complained Randor as he stood and went to the bars to see if anyone was around. There wasn't. "I'm tired of waiting! Usually Skeletor tells us what he has in mind right away!"

Adam stayed seated on the floor and looked up at his father. "It might be a good thing that he hasn't. We might not like what he has planned and I have a feeling if he tells us about it, he's going to do it right then."

Randor looked back at him and nodded. "Perhaps you're right. He has been a little unpredictable recently—there's no telling what he is thinking or what he might do."

As his father settled beside him again, Adam rested his head back against the wall. He didn't want to let on, but he was worried. His father was right—Skeletor usually did tell them his plans right away. He was always so egotistical and sure that his plans would work. Because of that, he couldn't wait to share his supposed genius. The fact that Skeletor had smartened up and wasn't telling them anything was a little frightening. He had no idea what the villain was plotting or what could happen next. He knew in order to get out of this, he'd have to act in the spare of the moment and seize whatever opportunity presented itself. There was no way to prepare for a specific moment of escape and he was worried that his father would get hurt in the process…or that he might not be able to keep his promise to Teela.

Unaware of his son's concerns, Randor decided to pass the time discussing another topic that would have already been addressed if he hadn't been his usual hot-tempered self and Skeletor hadn't kidnapped him. "So," he said slowly getting Adam's attention, "we were talking about you and Teela before I stormed out last night. Let's pick that topic back up."

Randor turned to his son who looked mildly startled. He laughed amusedly and questioned, "Well, what else are we going to do besides talk? Why waste the moment together? Let's take advantage of the little good we have in this situation."

Adam smiled a little and nodded. "What do you want to know?" he asked. He didn't start shooting off explanations like he had earlier because he could no longer say what he had said last night. At that time, he had claimed adamantly that Teela and he were not in a relationship, but that had changed since he had last seen his father. He blushed, and Randor saw it.

"Developments?" he guessed.

Adam lowered his head a little in embarrassment and nodded. He then looked up and said, "She returns my feelings. We…we've decided that we want to see where this goes. I'm…courting her now. Well, I will if we get out of this."

Randor pursed his lips and replied confidently, "We will get out of this, Adam. Have no doubts. We will get back to Eternos and you will have ample time to court Teela."

Adam was totally surprised by his father's words. He smiled brightly and questioned, "So, you're okay with the Prince of Eternia courting his bodyguard and Captain of the Guard?"

Randor sighed. "I won't lie. I was a little concerned at first, and I was upset because I thought you were hiding the relationship from me, but I believe you now. I know you weren't consorting behind my back. I must warn you, though, that there are things that we will have to handle with the court, but overall I'm okay with you courting Teela. We just have to discuss the bodyguard and Captain of the Guard part."

Adam frowned. "She loves her jobs," he stated firmly, knowing all too well where the discussion was going. "I don't want to turn her life upside down just because we've decided we want to be together."

Randor reached over and patted his son's knee comfortingly. "I'm afraid that comes with dating royalty, son. When we date someone who isn't already a royal, it's inevitable that we make big changes in their lives. It's unavoidable because there are certain expectations that must be met. But if Teela does love you, she'll accept them. She has to if she wants to be with you."

"And, what must she do for us to be together?" Adam asked resentfully.

"I don't make the rules in these matters, Adam," said his father abruptly when he heard the emotion in his son's voice.

"You're king."

"Yes, but there are reasons why we handle things the way that we do when it comes to courting," Randor explained. "Surely, you already know all of this. I know Teela is an exceptional warrior and that she is already a target since she is the Captain of the Guard, but Adam, that makes no difference. She will become a bigger target if she is your future bride. Skeletor and our other enemies will try to capture her to get to you and me. And, son, they might try to rape her for kicks or to get their offspring in a position of power." The king shook his head. "And, that's assuming that the people would accept you marrying Teela if she carried another person's child."

Adam gasped, but his father continued, "That's why Teela can't be in the field, son. If she wants to court you and one day possibly become our princess, she cannot endanger herself. She will have to give up her life as a soldier. There's no other way. But, on the bright side of things, I have a feeling if Teela has consented to courting you, she's already given this some thought. Duncan wouldn't have let her walk into this blindly."

"Things have happened so quickly," responded Adam. "I don't know if she's discussed this with anyone in any real detail. I know we haven't."

"Then, you must do that when we get back to the palace."

Adam frowned as he thought about asking Teela to give up her career. Could he do that to her? And, would she be willing if he could?

=)=)=)

Plans needed to be made. She had no problem with that whatsoever. They couldn't just go barging into Snake Mountain and think Skeletor would give Adam back willingly. She hadn't fought He-Man's adversary a lot, but she knew enough about him to know that he most definitely wanted Adam for a reason and that he wouldn't give an intricate part of his plan away without a fight.

What she did have a problem with was how the plans were being made. As soon as they had gotten out of the Windraider, Teela had turned to Man-at-Arms and asked which entrance into Snake Mountain would be the best. What ensued was a mumbled conversation with drawings that they etched on the ground with a stick. There was no "She-Ra, what do you think about this?" or "Hey, She-Ra, Adora and Skeletor were Hordak's favorites in the past, so you must have some things in common. Maybe you have an idea of how to get Adam back?" No, they stayed in their little group and discussed everything without including her. What made it worse is that Cringer and Orko interjected their thoughts and the two would address them and give it consideration. She groaned in frustration.

She-Ra knew she was being a little unfair. Why was she so up in arms today, aside from the facts that her father had been kidnapped and Adam had traded himself for the king's release? She knew she could do exactly what Cringer and Orko were doing and tell Man-at-Arms and Teela her ideas. She knew they weren't intentionally excluding her—they were simply used to doing this on their own. Whether she liked to admit it or not, she may technically be the Princess of Eternia but when it came to habits and instincts, she was an Etherian and they naturally viewed her that way. She was the outsider who didn't know ways inside Snake Mountain or all of Skeletor's strengths and weaknesses. Shoot, she had never even spent much time in Castle Grayskull, which is the very place that gave her all of her power and had a role in reuniting her with her family, or at the palace, her supposed true home.

She shook her head as she tried to rein in her emotions and scattered thoughts. She knew it was possible that her earlier contemplations were a factor now. Adam was her brother, and yet, Teela was the one taking charge in the rescue effort. Part of her wanted to argue that she was the ex-Horde Force Captain, so she had a great understanding in tactical measures of search-and-rescue, but that wasn't much of an argument considering Teela was Captain of the Royal Guard. They both undoubtedly had training in this area, but she couldn't help but think smugly that since she lived on a planet being ruled by an evil dictator essentially, she had carried out these acts a lot more than Teela had.

"She-Ra," she heard her name being called. She looked up to see Teela wave her over to their location. She walked over and looked down at their drawings.

"We've decided we're going to enter Snake Mountain behind the waterfall," said Teela hurriedly. "If Adam is being held in the dungeon, this will be the quickest route to him."

"And, if he isn't?" questioned She-Ra.

Man-at-Arms answered, "He almost certainly is unless Skeletor needs him at that precise moment for whatever his plan is. Skeletor likes to keep his prisoners out of the way until he wants them."

She-Ra nodded, deciding not to press the issue—there wasn't really much of one anyway—and said, "Well, what are we waiting for, then? Let's go." The voice that answered surprised her so much that she jumped and breathed in audibly.

"Perhaps you were waiting for me, She-Ra."

Everyone looked to their right, and on top of a large hill was Skeletor with Evil-Lyn, Trap Jaw, and Clawful with their weapons pointed at them readily. Skeletor had his Havoc Staff, Evil-Lyn had her wand, Trap Jaw had one of his firearms attached, and Clawful merely held his arms out at them and snapped his claws menacingly.

She-Ra reached towards her back to grab the Sword of Protection, but Skeletor yelled, holding up what appeared to be a communicator in his hand, "I wouldn't do that if I were you, She-Ra. One word from me, Prince Adam and King Randor dies!"

=)=)=)

Adam knitted his brow angrily as Beastman opened the cell door. "Time to go, Your Majesties," the villain said as he stepped inside. Tri-Klops, Mer-Man, Stinkor, and Kobra Khan also joined them.

"Where are we going?" asked Adam as he and Randor stood quickly.

"Oh, you'll see, prince…and it just might be the last sight you'll ever see." Beastman laughed horrifically as he grabbed Adam by both of his arms and forced him to move towards the door.

At that moment, a cry erupted from Mer-Man and Tri-Klops as they rushed past Beastman. Adam and he immediately turned around to see them restraining King Randor who had a tray they had given them during lunch earlier. It was apparent that he would have used it as a weapon against Beastman if they had not stopped him.

Adam stood aghast as he watched the king try to fight their captors. "Father!" he cried, not understanding his unwise actions until he heard the king's words.

"What do you mean by that, villain? You are NOT going to hurt my son! Let him go and take me instead. I won't fight at all if you let him go," he offered sincerely.

By this point, Mer-Man and Tri-Klops had restrained the king's movements and held his arms behind his back. The evildoers laughed amusedly. Then, Beastman replied, "Skeletor has plans for the both of you, so you are offering him something he already has."

They forced the king and prince from the room, and Adam knew enough about Snake Mountain to know that they weren't headed for Skeletor's throne room: they were going outside.

=)=)=)

Adam felt completely helpless as he and his father were chained to a stone wall outside of Snake Mountain. It wasn't a feeling he was used to. Normally, he would have already been He-Man and had his father half way back to Eternos by now. Yet another reason why he resented that he had to keep his secret from his father.

"What is the meaning of this?" Randor yelled as Beastman secured the last bolt which held them in place.

Suddenly, Skeletor's voice was heard. "Why don't we tell him, Beastman?" He laughed as he walked before them.

No one said anything as Skeletor turned to look behind him. Randor and Adam followed his gaze and both gasped. Coming with their hands tied together were She-Ra, Teela, Man-at-Arms, and Orko. Cringer was also there, but he wasn't tied up. Evil-Lyn had her wand pointed at him while the tiger shook softly. Once everyone was in speaking distance of one another, Adam cried out, "What are you doing here? I told you to stay at the palace!"

She-Ra spoke, "We…"

She was cut off by Teela. "You should already know me by now, Adam. I wasn't going to let you go through this alone. Besides, why should we follow Skeletor's demands when he clearly doesn't keep his side of the deal?" She gestured towards the king.

"Enough," said Skeletor, stepping between them so they couldn't see one another. "While some might want to hear this heartfelt reunion, I am on a schedule. I want to be sitting on the throne of Eternia within the hour."

"It's not going to happen, villain," snapped King Randor.

Skeletor chuckled merrily. "I'm afraid neither you nor your son will have any say in the matter. No one will." He turned back to Teela and her group to say, "The Reign of Skeletor begins now, and I wanted you to have a front row seat to see how it happened."

Skeletor turned around and held up his Havoc Staff. Normally, when Skeletor wanted to shoot a beam, it turned a glowing white color, but this time it was the opposite. It turned black and a dark haze seemed to surround it.

She-Ra widened her eyes as the wind started whipping furiously and black particles from the sky rushed all around them and to the staff. She had a horrible feeling of what was about to occur. She cried out terrified, "You said you wouldn't hurt them if we came peacefully!"

Skeletor glanced back at her briefly and questioned, "And, you believed me? No wonder Hordak still has control over that planet. You're clearly not as smart as I gave you credit for, She-Ra!" He held out the Havoc Staff and pointed it directly at Prince Adam.

Instead of closing his eyes to prepare for the impact—he couldn't break the chains so there was no way to escape—Adam glanced over at his father who yelled out in protest and fought in vain against the chains that held him to the wall. Blood suddenly dripped from the king's wrists where he was bound as he tried his best to get to his son. "No!" Randor cried. "Please, I'll do anything!"

It almost seemed like the voice came from a million miles away as Adam focused on the king, but he heard Skeletor faintly when he replied, "It's too late, King Randor!"

Adam didn't pay attention to the villain, only to his father. If this was it, there was something he had to say. "Father…," he said hurriedly, "…Dad, I want you to know that I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I wasn't the son you always wanted." A few tears dripped down his eyes as he heard a buzz coming from Skeletor's direction. He knew he was getting ready to fire. "I'm sorry that I wasn't the ideal prince. I promise you, though, that I always wanted to be. It's just that so many things got in the way, but if I die, I hope the Sorceress allows Adora to tell you the truth. I love you. And, please tell Mom, Adora, and Teela that I love them if you can. I'm so sorry that I didn't save us."

"ADAM!" yelled Randor as tears poured from his eyes and he saw a dark shimmer come from the Havoc Staff, but it was also at that moment that he saw She-Ra rip her arms apart and jump at Skeletor, almost as if she were flying.

They both hit the ground with sickening thuds, but that was all Randor could see because the area beside him suddenly exploded and rock fell around him. He cried out, terrified that his son had been hit. When the debris cleared so he could see, he saw Adam lying on the ground with several rocks scattered on top of and around him. "ADAM!" he hollered again.

Adam groaned and moved his head back and forth several times. He knew he hadn't been hit. She-Ra had hit Skeletor at the last second, so the beam had hit the chains and the rock beside him. He was free if he could make his dizziness go away: unfortunately, he had bumped his head lightly on the ground again as he had fallen.

It took him several moments but Adam finally sat up and moaned in pain as he grabbed his head. After a moment, he looked up at the king and said, "I'm okay." He then turned to see his sister fighting Skeletor. The Lord of Destruction was using his staff to block She-Ra as she tried earnestly to attack him with her sword. Adam tried to stand up and fell several times before he actually got to his feet.

"Son!" Randor called out, but the prince ignored him. He already knew from experience that he couldn't free his father in this form. He had to change into He-Man. Adam started to run away from the chaos, knowing it was time to even the odds…

But Adam's plans abruptly changed before he left the area. He stopped running as he looked around and noticed Skeletor taking a cheap shot at his sister. The villain had kicked her in the stomach and shoved her away from him. It was at that moment that Skeletor's minions surrounded her.

Adam swallowed roughly with indecision. Should he try to save her in this form or keep going so he could turn into He-Man? He knew he was taking a chance that he might be too late to save her if he chose the latter, but she was She-Ra right now and trying to save her as Adam might make things worse. He turned to run but paused when he saw Skeletor whip around away from the fight.

The villain canvassed the area undoubtedly looking for him while his men kept She-Ra busy. Adam almost began to run yet again when he noticed that Skeletor's eyes fell on Randor.

Skeletor yelled out in frustration at not finding the prince but screamed, "Your son may have escaped, Randor, but you have not! It will only be a matter of time before the throne of Eternia is mine and this is the first step!"

Once again, Skeletor held up his Havoc Staff and the wind picked up again as the head of the staff turned black.

Adam turned to run at Skeletor to stop him but quickly paused. He was too far away to reach him in time. He turned to his father who was closer and knew what he had to do! "No, Skeletor!" he yelled, hoping to grab his attention to stop him from killing the king. He had no doubt that the impact that freed him earlier had the strength to kill and he just couldn't allow that to happen to his father.

=)=)=)

Man-at-Arms, Orko, and Teela struggled against their ropes, trying desperately to free themselves. Everywhere they looked, they saw something that frightened them. Things could go horribly wrong in a matter of seconds and they wouldn't be able to do anything about it unless they freed themselves.

Now that all of Skeletor's men were occupied by She-Ra, Cringer sprung into action to help them. He ran to his friends and started chewing on their ropes frantically.

"That's it, Cringer!" cried Teela with relief. When the ropes finally fell apart, Man-at-Arms and Orko ran toward She-Ra to help her as Teela turned to see Adam running towards his father. It was then that she noticed Skeletor was preparing to shoot another beam at them. "Oh, no you don't!" she yelled as she ran to stop him.

But she was too late.

=)=)=)

"I'm going to make it! I'm going to make it!" Adam chanted in his head as he ran towards his father. He turned briefly as he ran and saw that Skeletor had finally brought down the staff and pointed it straight at the king. "NO!" he screamed and used all of his strength to jump and propel himself in front of his father.

It worked. Just as Adam fell into Randor, the prince felt a massive impact on his back and heard a loud boom for only a brief second. Then, everything got extremely quiet. He knew he coughed suddenly but he didn't hear it nor feel it. Nor could he fathom why his father looked so frightened until he realized that when he had coughed, he had covered his father's clothes with huge drops of blood. He looked up into his father's eyes as Randor yelled something at him, but he still couldn't hear it.

Suddenly, he fell back as his father continued to seemingly yell at he knew not who. He had tried to hold on to the king, to continue to protect him, but he had been too weak to lift his arms far to get a good grip. He had only managed to grab the edge of his father's robe before gravity pulled him down.

Intuitively, he knew when he hit the ground, but pain and groans that usually accompanied such a fall were missing. Once he was down, he merely laid there and tried to keep his eyes open, but all he could see was moving blurry colors before all went black.

=)=)=)

She-Ra cried out in pain. She didn't know why it was there specifically, but she instinctively knew the source. "Adam!" she cried hysterically and dropped to her knees.


	38. The Unthinkable Becomes Reality

Noticing Adam Chapter 38

King Randor stood in horror as he looked into his son's eyes. Adam had been hit—he knew he had been, and yet Adam was just standing there, looking back at him almost as if in a daze. He was on the verge of asking Adam if he were okay when the boy suddenly coughed violently. Now, the king was on the verge of panic.

Blood had sprayed from Adam's mouth all over him, and blood was still dripping out of it. He knew his son was hurt badly. Even though he couldn't see his back since Adam was still facing him, he knew something was at least wrong internally. "Adam!" he yelled, but the boy still didn't respond. The prince got a glossy look in his eyes, and Randor suddenly had a flash in his mind's eye of attending his son's funeral, telling the masses that his son had been brave and protected the king at the cost of his own life.

"NO!" yelled Randor. He didn't want it to be true—it couldn't be true. Adam wasn't supposed to die like this. He was supposed to go first…Randor had always been ready to go first. It had been unfathomable to imagine it any other way, and now, it was happening. "Adam!" he yelled again. "Please, son, talk to me!"

Time seemed to slow significantly as he continued to watch his son. It seemed like minutes had past, but in reality it had only been several seconds. He watched as Adam lifted his arms to the edge of his robe—he could tell Adam couldn't get them any farther—and tried to hold onto him. Adam was still trying to protect him, and Randor could see past his son's shoulder that Skeletor, having knocked Teela away—who was now busy with Beastman—had lifted the Havoc Staff in the air: he was going to hit Adam again.

"No!" he yelled again. He then looked frantically around the field before him and called for everyone…anyone to help them. "Man-at-Arms! Teela! Someone help us!"

Then, Adam was falling. His son couldn't hold onto him, and the king didn't know whether to be relieved or not. With Adam on the ground, Skeletor probably wouldn't hit him again—he'd go for the king this time. Randor hoped fiercely that would happen. He wanted to join his son—he didn't want to live if Adam died. Adam was the heart of him, even if he had never expressed that adequately…Adam and Adora were his reasons for living, and he knew he wouldn't be able to go on if Adam was untimely ripped from his life. He couldn't and wouldn't go through the pain of losing another child again, especially at the hands of an enemy…never again.

Randor struggled against his chains. Despite hoping that Skeletor chose to hit him with the next bolt, he still wanted to gather Adam into his arms and hold him for whatever brief moments that he could. He prayed that somehow, someway, someone would help him before it was too late…

But his prayers didn't seem to be having any effect whatsoever. Instead, he saw something that shook him to the very core of his being. Skeletor lowered his staff. Presumably it was charged with whatever dark magic he was using and he started walking towards Adam. Randor's heartrate sped up as he realized with horrible certainty that Skeletor had no intention of attacking him at this moment. He was going to Adam; he was going to…to… He couldn't bear the thought.

He watched in terror as Skeletor stood before his son and pointed his Havoc Staff directly at the prince's head. There was no way he could survive such a close hit. "Skeletor!" bellowed Randor. "Leave him alone! He's out of this! Kill me!"

Skeletor turned around and looked at the king. He laughed sadistically and said, "Oh, I will…after you watch your son die! In your last breath, you will know that there will be no one else to take up the kingdom. You will know that I have won."

Tears poured down Randor's face as he cried hysterically, "PLEASE, FOR THE LOVE OF ETERNIA, SOMEONE HELP HIM!"

=)=)=)

She-Ra dropped to her knees as she felt excruciating pain pierce her chest. She felt like she was dying because a piece of herself was missing. "Adam!" she screamed again.

She-Ra watched as Skeletor's henchmen surrounded her—they were determined to capture her now that she was down, but she wouldn't allow that to happen. With a look of sudden hatred, She-Ra stood abruptly and whipped her sword out as she spun quickly. Every person in Skeletor's group—besides Beastman who was still fighting with Teela—was cut along their stomachs but unfortunately not too deeply. They hadn't gotten close enough.

The villains fell away from She-Ra and instantly grabbed their wounds. She-Ra wanted to continue the attack…to make them pay for hurting Adam, but Man-at-Arms and Orko stopped her. "Don't forget yourself, She-Ra!" yelled Duncan over the chaos and the sounds of the wind picking up again.

Instead of replying, She-Ra pushed Man-at-Arms aside so she could see what was happening behind him. What she saw was a scene out of her nightmares! Her father was still chained and he was begging for someone to help them! Adam was on the ground, unmoving, with Skeletor standing over him, prepared to kill him execution style.

She started to run towards Skeletor, determined to stop him even though she knew intellectually that she was already too late. She would never reach him in time. Tears sprung to She-Ra's eyes as she imagined life without her brother. She had lived that life once and didn't want to live it again: she didn't want to be alone. She didn't want to feel this emptiness in her heart for the rest of her life. It would be unbearable.

"Ad-," she tried to yell but was cut short by a sight she thought she would never see:

Cringer ran from behind a large rock where he had been hiding nearby and raced as quickly as she ever saw towards Skeletor. He let out a fierce growl that was as threatening as anything Battlecat had ever produced and prepared to leap towards Skeletor with his claws extended.

Skeletor, having heard and seen the tiger, brought the Havoc Staff up from Adam's head and pointed it towards the great cat, but Cringer didn't care. He was determined to reach and protect his master. Also at that moment, the cries of a falcon were heard above the chaos and soon an orange and white falcon dove at Skeletor and snatched the Havoc Staff from his grasp.

Skeletor yelled in frustration and shot beams from his fingers trying to hit the bird, but Zoar out maneuvered him. The bird flew to Snake Mountain, with Skeletor following close behind him yelling in frustration, and dropped the staff into the waterfall.

Because Skeletor's allies had seen him fleeing from their location, they decided it was time for them to make a retreat, as well, so they ran as quickly as they could. When Skeletor realized he would be outnumbered, he set about finding a way to retrieve his Havoc Staff. He had gotten the most important part of his plan executed anyway.

=)=)=)

Teela didn't waste her time watching Beastman and his associates run from the battle. He was the farthest thing from her mind as she turned to see Adam's motionless body on the ground. "Oh, please, Ancients, no!" she whispered hurriedly and sprinted towards him.

Cringer was standing over him with his hair spiked in all directions. As soon as the tiger caught sight of someone approaching, he hissed and growled menacingly. Teela immediately stopped. "Cringer!" she cried. "It's Teela! Let me get to him! You know I wouldn't hurt him! I'm going to help him!"

Cringer blinked several times, and Teela noticed that his eyes were no longer wild. She rushed forward and pleaded again, "Let me help him, Cringer!" The tiger immediately backed away so she could reach him.

"Please help him, Teela. Is he…is he…" Cringer couldn't finish his question.

Teela ignored him; her only concern at that moment was Adam. In a matter of seconds, she lifted his torso into her arms and propped him against her chest. His back felt odd. It was almost as though things were out of place. Not to mention, the back of his shirt was completely disintegrated. "Adam! Adam!" she cried, trying desperately to get him to wake up. She grabbed his wrist and checked for a pulse. "Oh, please, be there!" she whispered. She couldn't find one.

"FATHER!" she cried with tears streaming down her face. Man-at-Arms was there in an instant but so was She-Ra.

As Man-at-Arms checked for a pulse, She-Ra pushed on Teela and said, "Let me have him and stand back!"

Teela frowned and was about to object when she saw the stern look that settled on She-Ra's face. Remembering that this was Adora, as well as a woman with great power, she decided to follow her commands. She backed away and She-Ra immediately took her place. She-Ra placed both of her hands firmly on her brother's chest and when Man-at-Arms, with eyes full of tears, stepped away shaking his head negatively, she cried, "For the honor of Grayskull, let your wounds be healed!"

She-Ra's hands glowed and soon Adam's whole body did as well, but other than that, nothing happened. "It's not working!" she wailed.

At that moment, Zoar flew beside them and transformed into the Sorceress, not caring who saw the transformation. "It must work!" she said. "He cannot die! This is not his time!" She knelt down beside She-Ra and held out her hand. "Try again."

This time, She-Ra and the Sorceress said the words together and all three of them glowed. Still nothing happened. Both She-Ra and the Sorceress looked around in dismay, clearly not knowing what to do, but after a moment, the Sorceress glanced up at Teela and Orko, held her hand out, and demanded, "Join us, both of you! Say the words with us!"

They did as they were told and still nothing happened.

Immediately, She-Ra fell back with tears streaming down her face. "He can't be dead! He can't be! Please, Sorceress, do something!" She covered her eyes with her hands and cried out mournfully.

Teela looked at the Sorceress and begged, "We just found each other, Sorceress. I love him and I can't lose him! There has to be something you can do!"

As she stared at the Sorceress, a discernible figure appeared behind the woman's shoulder. Teela watched as a maroon head slowly formed—she knew who it was. It was the Spirit of Grayskull. She hadn't seen him since the time she had taken the Sorceress' place when she had disappeared from Castle Grayskull. "Please, help him!" Teela cried.

The Sorceress looked at the figure that moved beside her as he said, "You have the means. She-Ra, call on his power and your honor."

She-Ra stared at the being for a moment before understanding suddenly shone in her bright, teary eyes. She reached underneath his head, pulled out the Power Sword, and placed it in Adam's hand. She then placed the Sword of Protection's blade against his, grabbed the Sorceress' hand, who in turn grabbed Teela's as she grabbed Orko's, and shouted mightily, "For the Honor of Grayskull!"

=)=)=)

Randor was still chained to the wall as he watched the scene unfold. He hadn't dared to grab anyone's attention. He wanted their focus on Adam. They had to save him—they just had to.

He watched as She-Ra cradled his son in her arms, and he could see the deep and profound love she had for Adam. He didn't know what to make of it, but at that moment he didn't care. He just wanted Adam to be saved! Nothing else mattered!

He watched in amazement as She-Ra reached behind the prince and pulled out a sword. Randor blinked several times, not believing what he saw. Adam wasn't wearing a scabbard. Where had the sword come from, and how had She-Ra known it was there? He watched as she placed it in his hand and they called on Castle Grayskull's powers once more.

It worked. After She-Ra's words were shouted, a loud pop occurred, Adam's back visibly straightened, and the prince took a deep breath. Tears of joy and relief poured from the king's eyes as he continued to watch Adam take breath after breath. He was alive…and now he couldn't wait to be freed.

"Man-at-Arms," he called, "can you get me loose?"

Duncan, who had been wiping tears from his eyes, jumped when he heard the king's voice and turned to look at him. "Your Majesty!" he exclaimed. "I'm so sorry! I forgot all about you still being chained up!"

Randor shook his head. "No, don't worry about it. I know Adam was your first concern. He was mine, as well, but I have to go to him now. I can't wait any longer."

It took several moments for Man-at-Arms to free the king, but when he did, Randor immediately squatted beside Adam. He glanced at She-Ra, who was still holding him, momentarily before reaching out and pulling Adam into a hug even though the boy still wasn't awake.

"Thank you," he said sincerely, staring at She-Ra and the Sorceress. He glanced around and said, "To all of you. I know Adam would not be alive it if it weren't for you." He glanced down at the head below his chin and gave Adam's forehead a kiss. He looked to the Sorceress and asked, "He's going to be okay, right?"

"I hope so, Randor," she said honestly. Suddenly, she changed back into Zoar and began to make her way back to the castle. She didn't like leaving it unattended for so long.

The Spirit of Grayskull stayed for a moment longer and stated with confidence, "It was not his time to die. Adam is meant to lead and bring peace to both Eternia and Etheria with his family and friends by his side. If we had lost him, future battles would have been lost and evil would have reigned over these planets forever." With a final look at Adam's father the spirit said before he disappeared, "Get him to safety, King Randor."


	39. Getting the Prince Home

Noticing Adam Chapter 39

King Randor stared in astonishment at the place where the Spirit of Grayskull had been. The entity's words had startled him and gave him much to contemplate. He gaped down at his son in awe. Adam would be responsible for bringing Adora home permanently and he would bring peace to Eternia…if they got him out of here.

Quickly, Randor snapped his head up and looked around. They weren't out of the woods, yet. They were still near Snake Mountain and completely exposed. They needed to get Adam back to the safety of the palace. "We have to get him out of here," he stated hurriedly. He looked to She-Ra and asked, "Can you carry him? We have to move as quickly as we can, because we don't know when Skeletor will show back up."

She-Ra nodded and carefully took the prince from the king's arms. When he wasn't paying attention and had turned his attention to Man-at-Arms, she slipped the Power Sword back into its appropriate spot on Adam's back. As soon as they stood, she heard Randor ask Duncan, "How did you get here?"

"We have a Windraider several yards out," he answered, pointing to the east.

Randor surveyed the area around them quickly for a second time and ordered, "Then, let's go. Adam's Windraider is at Snake Mountain, so one will have to do."

As a group, they travelled over the rough terrain towards the Windraider.

=)=)=)

Skeletor chuckled as he stepped into the throne room carrying his Havoc Staff. With the help of Mer-Man, they had retrieved his weapon. "What is it that they say?" he questioned; "It's always a beautiful day on Eternia!" He laughed sadistically as he made his way to his throne and sat down. "It most certainly is today. We have crushed all of Eternia with the death of Prince Adam. It will only be a matter of time before we take over the Royal Palace, as well."

He then examined his men. They had all been injured during the battle and most of them had been sliced in their midsection, which was the worst injury he could see among them. He chuckled in amusement. "My, they were getting a little more aggressive than usual. Who cut you like that?"

"She-Ra," complained Trap Jaw, resting his hand over the bandaged wound. "She whipped her sword out and spun. We hadn't expected her to do that."

Skeletor chuckled again. "Nor would I have, but it is interesting. I think we've stricken a cord. And, even more interesting, where was He-Man?"

Everyone in the room got quiet as they contemplated the question. Eternia's and Grayskull's champion had not been there yet again. It was shocking. He-Man had always been there without fail over the years and now he was missing multiple attempts to take over the planet.

"Do you think we've done it, Skeletor?" exclaimed Evil-Lyn excitedly. "Have we defeated He-Man?"

"You mean, 'Have I defeated He-Man?'" he snapped. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully and then answered, "Perhaps but not permanently. That's why She-Ra is here. She's taken the fool's place until he recovers. What we need is to get that meddler back on Etheria and bothering Hordak, so He-Man will come out of hiding." He laughed at the thought of He-Man hiding and nursing his wounds as a female fought for him.

Modulak walked into the room at that moment and replied, "Hordak is unaware that She-Ra and Adora are on Eternia. Maybe we should tell him. He will take any opportunity to get the princess back, and She-Ra will follow if he succeeds in taking her."

Skeletor snapped his head towards the many-legged villain. He remembered briefly questioning himself when Modulak had shown back up. This had occurred when they had planned to kidnap Prince Adam for the first time, so the turncoat's presence hadn't been important at the time, but he had ample opportunity to question it now. "What are you doing back on Eternia?" he asked hostilely as he stood and grabbed his Havoc Staff. "You chose to side with Hordak, and like him, I don't take kindly to traitors walking in my domain!"

"Please, Skeletor!" Modulak beseeched, waving his hands in surrender. "I can't stand being a Horde's cook any longer. Give me a chance to make things right."

"By suggesting that we ally ourselves with Hordak and bring him back to Eternia?" snapped Skeletor. "Never! Eternia is mine now, and I hate Hordak almost as much as I do He-Man!" He turned to his other men in the room and ordered, "Get him!"

As everyone in the room surrounded him, Modulak yelled, "Almost as much, Skeletor! He-Man is still worse. To get rid of him, wouldn't contacting Hordak be worth it? Just this once?"

Skeletor turned away and thought about Modulak's idea. He laughed abruptly—he realized it would give him another opportunity to stick it to Hordak for old time's sake…after he helped him take over Eternia, of course.

"Perhaps," Skeletor answered softly as he continued to contemplate whether or not he should contact his old teacher. He was still loathed to do it, because he realized Hordak might take an interest in Eternia again if he saw how much he had weakened the opposition. But he had always beaten Hordak since the Horde had lost the war, so he knew he could handle him…and his old mentor could get She-Ra back on Etheria if he took Adora. He was certain of it.

Decisions, decisions.

=)=)=)

Teela stayed close to She-Ra as they made their way quickly but quietly to the Windraider. Her mind, however, was anything but quiet. It was in chaos. Skeletor had killed Adam! That had to be the case since it took so much power and effort to get any kind of response from him—he hadn't been breathing until they tried She-Ra's…spell, or whatever it was, with the swords.

Tears streamed down her face as she glanced at Adam. She had almost lost him this time, and even though she tried to stop it, she felt angry. She felt angry at Skeletor for trying to kill him, but she was also angry with the Sorceress, the Spirit of Grayskull, and whoever else made Adam keep secrets from the ones that he loved. It was their fault that this had happened in her opinion. Adam would have turned into He-Man if King Randor had known who he truly was. None of this would have happened! She couldn't imagine the conflict and concern Adam must have been going through. He had the means to escape and save them, but he couldn't because a loved one—one he should have been able to confide in—couldn't know who he truly was.

Teela tore her eyes from the prince when she noticed that they had finally reached the Windraider.

She-Ra looked around warily, making sure no one had followed them, and asked, "Okay, so how are we going to do this?"

Randor slipped into the back of the vehicle and said, "Well, first, give me my son." She-Ra placed Adam in the king's lap, but before she could move to do anything else, he turned to Teela and said, "Second, that's enough tears. Adam will be fine and he'll be taking you out to dinner and courting you properly before you know it. Now, get in here beside me and help make him comfortable."

Teela sobbed at his words a little, because she knew instantly that the king accepted her relationship with his son. He wasn't going to banish her, and he was actually asking her to help him take care of the prince. She nodded quickly and wiped the tears from her face. "Yes, sire," she whispered and climbed into the back, as well. She sat beside the king and placed Adam's legs on her lap.

"Cringer!" she called and the green tiger jumped into the backseat. He immediately stretched himself out and placed his head beside Adam's knees on her lap. She knew what he really wanted to do was stretch out his entire body alongside his master, but there wasn't enough room, so he settled for this. They both could agree that this little bit of contact was better than nothing.

=)=)=)

Randor brushed the hair away from his son's face as everyone got into the Windraider and Man-at-Arms started the vehicle. Thankfully, it still worked and hopefully Skeletor's men hadn't sabotaged it in any way.

He looked at his comrades and sighed again in appreciation.

They had saved him and Adam, so they would have to be rewarded greatly for their deeds…but his thoughts immediately ceased when he noticed She-Ra had turned around in the front seat to stare at Adam worriedly.

He glanced at Teela anxiously, wondering if she had noticed the looks She-Ra had been giving Adam constantly or the way that the warrior had held him in her arms earlier. Etheria's Champion obviously had feelings for Adam and that was one reason why he had made his earlier comment to Teela. He had wanted Teela to know he was okay with their courting, but he had also wanted She-Ra to know that his son was spoken for at the moment.

Luckily, Teela hadn't seemed to notice then, and she certainly didn't seem to notice now. She was completely oblivious to everything besides Adam. Her eyes never moved from his face and she had firmly clasped his hand in hers, rubbing it with her thumb every so often.

He turned his attention from her and looked back down at Adam. He was still sleeping and that worried him a little, but the prince was breathing…and it was the most beautiful sight in the world right now. He was alive, and that's all that mattered.

He glanced up into the front seat and asked Duncan, "How far are we from the palace?"

"Since I have the rocket boosters on, we will be there shortly, Your Majesty," he answered.

"Has anyone informed the palace that we're coming?"

"No," replied Duncan. "I hadn't thought about it."

The king frowned and said, "Well, we need to let Marlena know we're okay, and we also need to tell her to bring the Court Physician, a stretcher, and a blanket to our landing site. We'll need to get Adam to the infirmary as quickly as we can, so we can see if there are any lingering injuries after She-Ra...helped him."

Man-at-Arms nodded as he began to turn several dials on the radio to set it to the appropriate frequency. "Has he woken up yet?" Duncan asked while he was doing this. He was more concerned about Adam than the radio.

"No, but I haven't tried to wake him up," answered Randor glancing back down at his son. "It might be better if we wait until he's in the infirmary, just in case there's any pain."

=)=)=)

Queen Marlena stared into the skies looking for any sign of her family. In the distance, she could see a tiny spot and knew it was them. She glanced at the doctor beside her and frowned.

She was frightened. She had been so relieved when Duncan had made radio contact with the palace. She had been ecstatic to learn that they were on their way with Adam and Randor, but as soon as he had asked them to bring the physician, a stretcher, and a blanket, she knew someone had gotten hurt. She hadn't wanted to ask over the airwaves who it was, but she had a feeling it was her son or husband.

The Windraider was now discernible and it approached the palace rapidly. She took a deep breath to prepare herself for whatever she would see once it had landed.

The doctor had the same idea to prepare himself. He turned to his medics and said, "When they land, I want whoever the patient is on the gurney and in the infirmary as quickly as possible. Understood?"

As the medics answered affirmatively, the Windraider floated above them and the rocket boosters had been shut off. Soon, the craft declined slowly to the ground. When it finally silenced, Marlena and the medics quickly rushed forward.

"Who is it?" she cried before she got a good look at who was where inside the Windraider. She had to know who was hurt.

Randor immediately replied knowing what she meant and understanding her concern. "It's Adam," he answered, and he watched Marlena reach them and breathe in sharply as tears filled her eyes. "Hand me the blanket," he said, reaching his hand out.

The queen immediately handed it to him and she watched as Randor tore the tunic and shirt from their son's body. She took the opportunity to study Adam's appearance and gasped. His clothes didn't have backs whatsoever and they had been burned and blackened severely. He was also covered in dirt, and mud had hardened in his hair. He looked horrible. "Oh, my God!" she whispered.

The king wrapped the blanket around Adam, not offering any explanations, and grimaced at the courtiers and citizens who were nearby, trying to catch a glimpse of what was happening. He glanced at everyone around the Windraider as they jumped from the vehicle and at several soldiers who had run to them. "No one is to see the prince like this!" he ordered sharply. "Circle around the gurney as soon as we get him onto it and accompany the doctor to the infirmary! Allow no one to walk to us or slow us down."

Everyone—guards, Teela, Man-at-Arms, Orko, and She-Ra—encircled the Royal Family and Cringer as soon as Adam had been handed to the medics and Randor had gotten out of the Windraider.

They hurriedly made their way inside, and no one dared to approach them as the bystanders looked on.

=)=)=)

Exhaustion was clearly evident in every person who was currently in Adam's bedchambers. They had all stayed with Adam as he had gone through a series of tests that had lasted for hours and now that twenty-four hours had passed without the prince waking up, their tiredness was beginning to show. Everyone refused to go, though. No one wanted to leave him.

Man-at-Arms and Teela were seated on a couch on the far wall. Marlena and Adora were seated in chairs beside Adam's bed, facing him. Cringer lay at the foot of the bed staring up at his master as Orko lay against him. And, as for the king, he sat beside the prince with his back pressed firmly against the headboard.

Randor had refused to move from that spot earlier when the others had wanted him to go rest. He wouldn't allow their pleas to sway him because he wanted to wait. He was desperate for the moment when Adam would open his eyes, but the physician had no idea when that would be. Adam had gone through a very traumatic event (aside from everything else he had already endured recently) and needed rest, so everyone was giving it to him. They hadn't tried to rouse him too much, even though the waiting was torturous. The longer he stayed asleep, the more anxious they became.

"I wish he would wake up," he heard Teela say across the room, giving voice to what he was thinking.

Duncan had his arm draped across Teela's shoulders, so he pulled her close and replied, "He will soon. Just give him time. Sleep is the best thing for him right now."

Teela nodded. "I know, but I want him to wake up for a second and talk to us. That way, we'd know for sure if he's okay. I hate this waiting."

Duncan merely squeezed her and remained silent.

Randor turned his attention back to Adam and looked at the darkened circles under his eyes and the unnatural pallor of his skin. He looked horrible, but he looked better than he had before. They had bathed him, washed his hair, and put him in his white sleeping attire before bringing him to his bedchambers from the infirmary. As he had commanded, no one else in the palace had caught a glimpse of Adam at that time, and they still hadn't.

The king ran his fingers through Adam's hair softly and jumped a little when the boy moved his head slightly.

"Adam?" he questioned.

Everyone in the room jumped to their feet as they waited for a response from Adam. Ever so slowly, he opened his eyes and moved them to look up at his father.

"Hey!" Randor exclaimed, feeling relief immeasurably. He smiled at his son and Adam smiled back softly.

"Hey!" he whispered roughly and closed his eyes again. "Sleepy."

Randor squeezed his shoulder comfortingly and replied, "Everything's okay. We're all safe. Go back to sleep, son."

"Okay," he whispered drowsily. It took only a moment for Adam's body to relax and they knew he had fallen asleep again.

Randor looked up at everyone and sighed deeply. He met Teela's eyes and said, "I guess he heard your wish. He's fine."

"Praise the Ancients!" Man-at-Arms said as he approached the bed. "Now that we all know he's okay and able to wake up, I think I'm going to turn in. Are you coming, dearheart?"

Teela also moved toward the bed and said, "In a second." Once she reached Adam, she hesitantly took his hand in hers. She watched as her father walked toward the door and the king turned his head to give them a little privacy. She smiled, leaned over his ear, and whispered, "I love you. Sleep well." She kissed his lips softly and as she turned to leave, someone grabbed her hand.

Startled, she gasped and turned back to see Adam looking up at her. He was obviously still tired as witnessed by his droopy eyes, but he was smiling as he pulled Teela back to him. When she sat on the bed, he motioned with his finger for her to come closer. Leaning over him once more, Adam kissed her briefly and then whispered, "I love you, too."

Teela smiled as she watched Adam close his eyes again and relax. She glanced up to see Randor watching them with a smile on his face. She blushed as she pulled away and joined her father.

Duncan grinned at his daughter as she reached him, but he didn't say anything to her. Instead, he stated, "Sleep well, Your Majesties," as they left the room.

=)=)=)

It was the middle of the night and he was the only one that remained with Adam in his bedchambers. He had refused to leave, arguing that he wouldn't be able to sleep if he left Adam's side right now, so they had relented. Unfortunately, he still hadn't been able to sleep. He knew too much had happened and he had too much to reflect on.

Randor watched Adam sleep throughout the night, paying special attention to his breathing. Eventually, his mind drifted to what had happened at Snake Mountain. He had learned a great deal of things. First of all and most shocking, he had learned that Adam was protecting Eternia without his knowledge somehow. He knew his son would never admit to that, but he knew he was right. And, it was confirmed during the battle with Skeletor. Adam had run away as usual when he had gotten loose from his chains, but the king had paid attention more closely this time, and he could tell Adam's flight hadn't been from fear. No, his son had a firm determination in his eyes—he had been resolved to do something. Unfortunately, Skeletor had sidetracked him and Adam had decided to protect his father instead of doing whatever he had been going to do.

Randor shook his head as he remembered his son's courage. He had sacrificed himself to save the king. He squeezed his eyes shut and breathed deeply as he tried to calm himself down. Adam and he needed to have a long talk about that one. A prince should never sacrifice himself for the current monarch. After all, a prince has a duty to the future of his kingdom. When a crown prince dies, things become chaotic. Citizens begin to worry and fret over who will take over if something should happen to the king in his old age. They worry if the king will be able to produce another heir in time. They'll mourn the loss of the future and wail throughout the streets. Then, inevitably, despair becomes palpable…and of course, when that happens, trouble comes calling. They become targets of petty criminals and sometimes people like Skeletor. Criminals flock where there is chaos and melancholy. But when a king has an heir, they naturally stabilize everything. The citizens don't worry so much about the foreseeable future, because they know they will always have someone to lead them and their children.

No, Adam couldn't risk himself again. Even though Eternia technically also had Adora, Adam was the heir to the throne, not her, and if something had happened to him…The king shook his head again and tried to think of other things. Adam hadn't died, so he wasn't going to dwell on it…for right now.

His thoughts inevitably turned to She-Ra and her actions after the battle. As sure as Adam was currently in the room with him, he knew the warrior loved his son, and he didn't know how to feel about that. On the one hand, she had saved his life and cried severely when she thought she couldn't save him. Her frantic hold around Adam kept creeping into his mind and her actions showed that she felt very strongly about him. There was no doubt about that.

But what bothered him was that Adam and he now owed her a great deal and he wasn't sure how Adam felt about her. He knew his son would probably be flattered, but he was courting Teela now. Surely, She-Ra wouldn't expect Adam to forget about his current girlfriend to be with her. There was too much history between Teela and Adam for that to occur.

And, that thought inevitably led to him wondering when She-Ra and Adam had spent enough time together for her to have the capability and opportunity to fall in love with him. Undoubtedly, it must have occurred on Etheria, but Adam always went to visit his sister, and he couldn't see Adam using that valuable time in any other way. He didn't get to go often, after all. Besides, he couldn't imagine Adam leading She-Ra on and making her fall in love with him when he loved Teela. No, it didn't make sense.

Randor looked back at his son and thought about She-Ra saving his life. It had been a miraculous thing to behold, and as the moments flashed through his mind again, he suddenly shot forward as he remembered an important moment: She-Ra had pulled a sword from Adam's back. It hadn't been there beforehand, and yet it had mysteriously appeared when she went to grab it.

The king stood from his chair and approached the bed slowly. Adam was sleeping on his side, so he had easy access to his son's back. Carefully, so he wouldn't wake him, Randor reached for the invisible sword…

=)=)=)


	40. The Sword of Power

Noticing Adam Chapter 40

Slowly, trying not to make a sound, Randor reached his hand across Adam's body toward his upper back. Oddly, the king found himself a little apprehensive—he had seen She-Ra pull a sword out of thin air behind Adam's back and part of him hoped it was a one-time occurrence, that it was somehow linked to the presence of the Sorceress and the Spirit of Grayskull. He wanted to believe that Adam didn't carry around a magical, invisible sword…why would he? He didn't want to believe it, because its presence would verify that Adam was handling things Randor was completely unaware of and putting himself in harm's way. A sword could mean nothing else, after all, and it fit so well with what he had already discovered: he now knew for a fact that his son protected the kingdom in a way that was not readily obvious. If he had this sword, he was willing to bet it had something to do with that task. What he didn't understand was why an invisible sword would be better than a regular sword? Well, besides that the enemy wouldn't know he had it until he pulled it out.

The thought made Randor pause and his hand hung in midair over Adam's body. If Adam had this sword, why hadn't he pulled it out at Snake Mountain? They could have fought their way out of there…but maybe that was too big of a risk. It would have been Adam with a sword against Skeletor's large ensemble. The odds wouldn't have been in their favor. And, that was assuming Adam did actually have access to the sword.

Resuming his efforts, he slowly finished the distance to Adam's back and then moved his hand horizontally with his son's shoulders to see if he would touch anything. The king held his breath and jumped slightly when he lightly brushed a cool, metal object before snatching his hand away with a gasp. It was there. He moved to touch the un-seeable object again—this time he was determined to grab it…but he cried out in surprise when he heard Adam's voice.

"What are you doing, Father?"

Randor peered at his son's face through the darkness of the room and saw total awareness in his eyes. Adam watched him curiously, with no emotion, as he pulled back a little and dropped his hand to his side. "I was verifying something I thought I saw," he whispered.

Adam turned onto his back slowly and looked behind him. "What did you think you saw?"

"I didn't see it just now," the king replied; "I saw it at the battlefield." Their eyes met again and he continued, "But before we get into that, how are you feeling, son? You seem more lucid now than you did earlier."

Adam sat up and pressed his back against the headboard. He looked out the window and noticed that it was nighttime. "I'm okay—I'm still a little tired, but I actually feel better than I have in days. My headache's gone and I'm no longer dizzy." He smiled at his father. "Maybe things are finally getting back to normal now."

Randor sat down in his chair and whispered, "I doubt that seriously." At Adam's questioning stare, he asked, "Son, do you remember what happened at Snake Mountain?"

The prince nodded a little in reply. "I think I do. The last thing I remember is running to protect you from Skeletor—I think I made it. It's kind of hazy, but I believe I fell into you at the last second."

Tears slipped down the king's cheeks slowly. "Yes, you did reach me in time," he whispered, barely audible.

Adam stared at his father in complete confusion. "Then, what—what's wrong?" He gestured around the room. "Obviously, everything worked out. She-Ra must have saved the day, as usual!"

Randor stood up and walked away to stare out the nearby window. He had to get control of himself if he was going to have this conversation or he would end up breaking down and crying like a baby. He wiped his eyes slowly, hoping Adam didn't notice, and took long, cleansing breaths.

"Father?" Adam questioned, worriedly. When the king still didn't respond, he called out again, "Dad?"

The king was surprised at the power of that word—he had never realized it when Adam had been a boy, but he was acutely aware of it now. Perhaps, it had gotten its strength because they were older and their relationship had changed over the years, but when Adam called him "Dad" now, he knew he'd do anything his son asked of him.

With tears still slipping down his cheeks periodically, Randor made his way back to his chair beside Adam's bed before he had fully pulled himself together. Looking down at his hands for a moment and then searching his son's face for some courage—he now knew the young man had an abundance of it to share—he whispered, "You died."

"What?" gasped Adam.

Randor nodded and said, "You died, son. At least I think you did. It took She-Ra, the Sorceress, and the Spirit of Grayskull to bring you back, and even they had Teela and Orko chanting to help them."

Adam looked down at the bedspread for a moment before meeting his father's eyes again. "Chanting? Chanting what?"

Randor thought for a mere second and said, "It was something like, 'For the honor of Grayskull.' She-Ra had tried to heal you on her own, but it hadn't worked. The Sorceress, Teela, Orko, and She-Ra had tried multiple times and had just about given up…" A sob escaped the king, but he pulled it back and breathed deeply, "…when the Spirit of Grayskull showed up. If he hadn't…" He shook his head.

Quickly, Adam threw the covers off his body and sprang to the side of his bed. He reached out and grabbed the king's hand. "I'm fine, Dad!" He squeezed his hand tightly before standing and holding his hands out before him as if he were putting himself on display. "I'm not dead or hurt!"

"I know," he stated; "It's just that I keep replaying those moments in my mind over and over again, especially when you fell into me and Skeletor had hit you with that bolt. I knew as I looked into your eyes that you were dying…and there wasn't anything I could do to help you. When Skeletor stood over you and almost…" He broke off. He realized he didn't want to give Adam too many details of his almost death. "Thank the Elders for Cringer."

"Cringer?" asked Adam, who suddenly looked around the room frantically. "Where's Cringer?"

"He's with Adora."

Adam settled down and sat back onto his bed. "What did Cringer do that he deserves such praise?"

"He stopped Skeletor from blasting you with another bolt from his Havoc Staff. He had its head a mere two inches from yours. Cringer roared like Battlecat and charged at him, which gratefully distracted him, and then a falcon grabbed the staff. We later saw that the falcon was the Sorceress."

Adam let out a shaky breath when he realized just how close he had come to death. He knew at the time that was likely to occur, but to survive it and hear about it made the whole thing sound like an unbearable nightmare. Luckily, it had a happy ending.

Randor and Adam sat there in silence for a few moments, neither knowing what to say to the other. Finally, Adam leaned back in bed against his pillows and asked, "So, you never did tell me what you thought you saw at the battlefield."

Randor had a feeling his son was going to regret bringing that discussion back up. Truthfully, he had been contemplating a way to do so and to ask him if he had the sword with him. Swallowing air that seemed to be stuck in his throat, he replied, "When you di—when they saved you, She-Ra pulled a sword from your back. It had been invisible until she had touched it."

Adam widened his eyes and guessed the rest of the story, "And, when I woke up, you were trying to see if you could touch and pull it from my back."

Randor nodded and waited for Adam to give an answer to that curiosity. When it became obvious he wasn't going to say anything, he asked, "Well, can I? Is it really there?"

Adam merely shrugged. He didn't confirm or deny anything.

So, the king stood and then sat on the edge of the bed. He reached a hand out and touched his son's shoulder. Adam watched him curiously as Randor clutched him firmly and pulled him forward slightly. Their eyes met as both breathed deeply. Then, the father reached out and grabbed something in thin air behind Adam's neck.

The prince knew Randor had grabbed it—he held his breath as he felt it being pulling away from his body. He watched in awe as his father stood and pulled the Sword of Power from his back completely.

Randor immediately stumbled back and sat down in his chair unthinkingly. He studied the sword and brought it close to his face so he could examine it. It looked familiar—he was sure he had seen Adam with it before, but it was familiar for another reason as well, but he wasn't quite sure why. He looked at Adam who was staring at him, and even though he already knew the answer, he asked, "Did you know this was there?"

Adam nodded and whispered, "Of course."

Randor ran his fingers over the sharp blade lightly and asked, "Have you used it often?"

He wasn't going to lie. "Almost daily," he answered; "Sometimes more."

"When did you get it?"

Adam knew he wasn't going to like the answer. "On my eighteenth birthday. Man-at-Arms took me to Castle Grayskull. I guess you could say it was a gift from the Sorceress."

"A gift?" spat Randor. He thought about how Adam had changed since his eighteenth birthday and all the problems that had occurred because of his conduct over the years and especially recently. "It seems more like a burden to me."

Adam sobbed a little. "You don't even know the secret," he cried, "but you are the first person who has verbalized that truth!"

Randor shot out of his chair and sat beside Adam. He pulled him into his arms and hugged him. "What does it do?" he asked softly.

Adam shook his head and Randor pulled back.

"I know it has to do something besides hide itself when it's not being used."

It was on the tip of Adam's tongue to tell him that he couldn't divulge that secret, but he decided to be a little more forthcoming than that. "It allows me to fulfill my destiny." He then laughed at himself and asked, "Doesn't that sound melodramatic?"

"No," the king replied, "because it's the truth. I have no doubt about that."

Randor laid the sword across his lap and stared at it for a while. Suddenly feeling the need to lighten things and knowing that they should get more sleep, he handed the sword back to Adam, watched as his son slipped it behind his back, and murmured, "That's some weapon." The king then smiled warmly and asked laughingly, "I know it's probably impossible but if I make random guesses as to what it does, will you tell me if I guess correctly?"

Adam knew he was trying to make a joke but answered seriously, "Yes, Father, I will."

=)=)=)

The next morning, Adora and Marlena walked into Adam's bedchambers to find father and son already up. As they walked into the room, Randor stated with a bright smile, "It guarantees that you'll win every battle if you use it!"

Adam laughed, enjoying the game they had found themselves immersed in for about an hour after waking. Some of his father's guesses were intentionally hilarious, but this one actually made sense. "No," he answered.

"Ancients, I thought for sure I would be right with that one! I had been saving it!" exclaimed Randor.

Adam's grin widened and replied, "It was a good guess but no dice."

Adora crossed the room and sat on the bed beside Adam as Marlena took the chair beside her husband.

"What's going on in here?" the queen asked.

Adam smiled at Adora and answered, "Father's guessing what my sword does."

Immediately, Adora gasped.

Adam shrugged and explained, "Father noticed that She-Ra had pulled it from my back after the battle at Snake Mountain. That cat was pretty much out of the bag, so there was no use denying I had it."

Adora nodded as she turned to her father. "How long have you been guessing?"

"Since we woke up," the king answered. He looked determinedly at his son and said, "And, I will figure it out. Trust me."

Adam smiled and said genuinely, "I hope you do, Father." He sighed for a moment and complained, "I just don't understand why I can't go ahead and tell you. You already know this much!"

As Adora and Adam sat there, they felt someone reaching out to them.

"Sorceress?" they both questioned internally.

"Good morning, Adam, Adora," the Sorceress greeted. "Adam, I am so pleased that you are awake and feeling better."

"So am I," the prince agreed. "So, tell me, is there something wrong? Has Skeletor attacked Grayskull?"

"No, everything is fine, now. I just overheard what you were wondering."

Adora guessed, "And, you're going to tell us why we still can't tell Father our secrets."

They knew the Sorceress nodded even though they couldn't see her. "Despite all of the things the king now knows, he will still not be happy when he learns your secrets, especially now that Adam has had such a close brush with death. If he is to know, he has to figure it out himself. That way, it won't be such a big surprise and make him act irrationally. If he puts it together himself, he will have seen the positive side of things and it just might prevent a lot of battles you might have had to face with your father, otherwise."

Adam glanced at his father who was staring at him and replied, "I think there is going to be fallout, regardless."

"There will be," the Sorceress agreed, "but we can try to soften it as much as possible, can't we? We must allow him the time to prepare himself for this knowledge."

Adam nodded as he felt the Sorceress leave their thoughts.

=)=)=)

King Randor watched his children and didn't utter a word until he saw them move again. He glanced at Marlena briefly before inquiring, "The Sorceress just contacted you, didn't she?"

Adam gawked at his father a little, and the king chuckled.

"I have learned to recognize the signs thanks to Man-at-Arms. He always gets incredibly still and stares off into the distance like you were just doing. It's kind of…unsettling, actually."

"Yes, she did," Adam replied to his father's original comment. "She…I suppose she wanted to make sure we weren't going to tell you."

Randor grimaced and stated strongly, "The Ancients know I'm trying to be understanding of that woman and her actions, but sometimes I feel she's a little too involved in our lives. It seems like every huge moment—good or bad—she's been involved in some way."

"It's not her fault, Father," Adam insisted; "She's the guardian of Castle Grayskull. She has a responsibility that she has never tried to shirk. I'm grateful."

"I just wish I knew what that castle has to do with you," he spat, momentarily angry. Then, he breathed deeply to calm himself. "Sorry, like I said, I'm trying to be understanding."

"And, you're doing an admirable job, now, dear," interjected Queen Marlena.

As Marlena kissed Randor briefly, Adam slipped out of bed and said, "Well, I'm going to take a shower and get ready for breakfast. It feels like years since I've made an appearance. It's time I got back into the swing of things."

Marlena rose and said, "Are you sure it's time? Everyone would understand if you took another day to relax and rest up. You just got home and…"

Adam walked over to his mother and hugged her. "I'm fine, Mother. Taking a shower and walking to the dining room won't kill me. Besides, like I told Father, I feel better now than I have in days." He glanced to Adora, winked at her, and said, "I guess whatever She-Ra and the Sorceress did to heal me did a thorough job."

Adora grinned a little as Adam walked to his closet. When she turned back to her parents, she was a little surprised to find her father frowning. "What is it, Father?"

At that question, Adam turned back and also looked at him.

"Huh?" Randor asked and then exclaimed, "Oh! It's nothing! I was just thinking about She-Ra."

"What about She-Ra?" Marlena asked her husband before glancing at Adora.

He shrugged, looked up at Adam, and said, "I don't know if this is the appropriate time to bring this up, son, but I think she's in love with you."

Adam raised his brow and asked, "Who is in love with me? Teela?"

Randor nodded and said, "Well, I think Teela is in love with you, too, but I was referring to She-Ra."

Adam widened his eyes and glanced at Adora, who gasped at her father. "What in the world gave you that idea?" she cried.

"You didn't see her yesterday after the battle. The way she held Adam and looked at him…" he replied as he shook his head. "It's obvious she has strong feelings for him."

Adora and Adam turned to one another and then began to laugh loudly.

Randor knitted his brow and said, "I hardly find this situation funny. We owe She-Ra a great deal and it isn't right to laugh at her feelings."

Adora and Adam immediately tried to stop laughing. Both bit their tongues to hold it in, but as soon as they looked at each other, they started all over again. Tears poured from their eyes as they laughed.

"Oh, Father!" exclaimed Adam after he pulled himself together moments later, "She-Ra is not in love with me! I mean, she and I are very good friends, but she doesn't want to be with me…in that way."

Randor stared at his son as if he were in denial. "How can you be so sure?"

Adam grinned at Adora and said, "Because I am, Father. You just have to trust me on this." He paused as he winked at his sister and said, "If She-Ra feels anything for me, I'm pretty sure she views me as a…oh, let's just say a brother."

Adam and Adora felt their hearts speed up as they realized that was the closest that they had ever come to telling their father the truth. They held their breath and dreaded hearing the Sorceress' deafening ring as they had the last time they tried to tell the king the truth, but everything remained silent.

Randor merely studied his children. He could tell they were very amused, but he could also tell they were a little tense. "I suppose you know She-Ra better than I do," he relented. "I just don't want any problems to arise from a misunderstanding. Love can do strange things to people, and She-Ra is not the kind of person I'd like to have a conflict with. Not to mention, it would probably get her brother involved."

At that moment, King Randor widened his eyes, turned away from his children slowly, and began mumbling to himself.

"Father?" "Randor?" everyone questioned, as they watched the king stand and begin to pace back and forth.

The king either ignored his family or didn't hear them. As Adam, Adora, and Marlena got closer to him, they heard him mutter, "He-Man is She-Ra's brother and…" He whipped his eyes to Adam and gaped at him suddenly. "By the Ancients…" he gasped, "He-Man!"

Adora and Adam looked at each other frantically as their hearts jumped into their throats.


	41. Protecting Eternia

Noticing Adam Chapter 41

The moment was tense—a pin drop could have been heard in the next room after King Randor gasped He-Man's name in surprise. He felt something…he didn't know what it was, but it felt like something was trying to shift in his mind. He fought against it desperately.

"No, it couldn't be," he told himself internally or it could have been aloud. He didn't know. Then, a moment replayed in his mind the last time he had said those very words: he had just gotten back from Snake Mountain after Beastman had kidnapped him and tried to demand a ransom of all the gold in the palace. Man-at-Arms, Adam, and he had gotten into the AttakTrak to head for Drisdos, which would have been their first stop in his Royal Tour of the kingdom if Beastman and his Shadow Beasts hadn't stopped them. He remembered Man-at-Arms telling him he didn't look worse for wear after his encounter. Randor had immediately exclaimed, "Thanks to He-Man! You could learn a lot from him, Adam!"

His son's response had baffled him. He had replied, "I think I already have." And, after questioning Adam what he meant by that, he had stated nonchalantly, "Nothing, Father. I—do I look like the kind who'd argue with someone with a good left hook?"

At that moment, an impossibility had drifted into his mind about his son. After all, he had a private conversation with He-Man about his past that day, and yet Adam had repeated the very words he had told He-Man. And, Adam had been nowhere around when he had made that comment about his left hook. That, more than anything else, had made him wonder for a few moments how his son could have possibly known about the conversation. An answer had come to mind at that time, but he had dismissed it immediately. No, no, it couldn't be.

And, it still couldn't be. If it were true, he knew he'd never be able to function as a king or as a father ever again. Those two roles would battle one another over what he should do and what decisions he should make for his family and his kingdom for the rest of his life. They would constantly contradict one another.

So…it couldn't be—it couldn't be true. No, it can't be true!

But unlike the last time he had that thought, he had plenty of evidence to the contrary now, and it made his attempts to disbelieve nearly impossible. "Oh, Ancients," he gasped as he felt himself drop to his knees roughly.

He felt someone hug him. He even heard someone speaking to him, but he couldn't comprehend the words. All that consumed him was the mountain of evidence that proved something he didn't want to believe. It made such complete sense.

Adam wasn't worried that She-Ra was in love with him because they were siblings! He had said so himself that She-Ra thought of him as a brother. And, as for what happened at Snake Mountain, of course She-Ra would be devastated that Adam had died. It would be only natural for Adora to take her twin into her arms and mourn woefully as She-Ra had done. It hadn't been the cries for a lover; it had been the cries for a brother. If it were true…

Also, He-Man's recent absences could be explained. He-Man hadn't shown up during most of Skeletor's recent plots, because Adam had been the one the villain was focusing on! Adam had been the one kidnapped! Adam had been the one hurt and bedridden! He-Man showing up at that time had been impossible…just like it had been impossible when Skeletor and Evil-Lyn had tried to summon Adam to the throne room when He-Man had been there. He had thought foolishly at that time that their inability to do so was an indication that Adam had died, but his son had already been present. That's why their spells hadn't worked. If it were true…

It even explained why the Sorceress was so involved in his children's life…and even his! He-Man was the protector of Castle Grayskull and its secrets! By necessity, she would have to stay updated on what was going on in Adam's every day life. It was her duty to ensure that Skeletor would never obtain access to the castle. That was why the Sorceress had asked for Adam's help the day his son and he had been arguing about Earth. He-Man was her tool against Skeletor. If it were true…

The king furrowed his brow.

Furthermore, it explained why Adam had become such a lazy, late, and supposedly carefree prince. Every time Adam had been missing, every time Adam had skipped a meeting, every time Adam had been late, every time Adam had run from danger…he had been fulfilling his duties as He-Man. He couldn't be in two places at once, so something had to be sacrificed: namely, Prince Adam's reputation. If it were true…

Randor's expression turned into a scowl.

This impossible idea answered every question he had ever had about his son. If it were true…

It couldn't be true…and, yet…

It was.

For the first time, he accepted the impossible. It was true…and it was going to change his life forever.

King Randor brought himself back to the present and immediately came eye-to-eye with a worried Adam, who was kneeling in front of him so they could be level with one another. The boy held his shoulders firmly. To steady him or to offer solace, he didn't know.

"Father," Adam whispered, "please speak to me. Tell me what's happening. Tell me what you're thinking."

Randor closed his eyes briefly, but when he reopened them, he got to his feet. Adam stood with him. "You're He-Man," he stated as emotionless as he could. He wanted to maintain civility throughout this discussion, no matter where it led. "Your sister is She-Ra. Your sword—it's what changes you, isn't it? Looking at you now, I realize there aren't a lot of differences, but it's what makes He-Man possible, right?

Adam nodded. "Yes," he said simply, waiting for a reaction.

The king glanced at Adora and then his wife. "And, you knew this all along," he said to Marlena, narrowing his eyes.

"Randor," pleaded Marlena softly. "I…" She didn't know what to say.

"It's okay. I know you tried to find a way to tell me. You were the only one who did at first. If it wasn't for you, I still wouldn't know," he said as his hands began to quiver.

"Father…" Adam began, but Randor interrupted him.

"The only question I have to ask myself right now is how to handle this information, because I don't know," he uttered softly as he fought for control of his emotions. His whole body now shook with the effort, and he felt hot and lightheaded.

Adam noticed that his father was beginning to sway, so he grabbed him, pushed him to the bed, and made him sit down. Adam then grabbed the chair behind him, sat in front of his father, and grabbed the king's hand. "Father," Adam tried again. "Listen, Dad…"

Immediately, Randor's lips trembled at Adam's usage of the word "dad." He almost couldn't control himself when he interrupted his son again. "How do I handle this, Adam?" he asked, almost pleadingly. "Do I handle this as a father or as a king? You tell me."

Adam froze as he heard the question. He could tell his father really wanted an answer, and he knew whatever his answer was, King Randor would follow through with that decision. Thinking about both options carefully, trying to weigh the consequences of each and of actually answering this question, eventually he replied, "Father, I don't know. Why don't we just talk about this?"

Randor shook his head and insisted stubbornly, "No, I have to answer this question first. I can't talk about it if I don't know how to handle it, how to process it in my mind…" He stared at his son beseechingly.

Adam tore his eyes from the king and looked at his mother and sister who were biting their bottom lips lightly. They both shook their head; they didn't know either.

With a sigh, Adam turned back to his father and answered truthfully, "You are both, so be both. Will the outcome really be different if you choose one over the other?"

Randor dropped his eyes. Adam just didn't understand. Of course, it would be different. If he handled it like a king, he would have to recognize that the protection of the realm and even the entire planet came first. He would have to realize that He-Man, and therefore Adam, was Eternia's Champion. As the King of Eternia, he could not do anything that would jeopardize the safety and future of his people. But as a father, his job was to protect and shelter his children. Fathers would not allow their children to dance with death every single day of their lives. It was a father's duty to make sure his kids had a better life than he had. If there was a way to ensure these things, that course of action was to be done without hesitation. Those were two very different responses and yet both felt right. It was a paradox that he couldn't quite understand, and that was why he was having trouble figuring out what he should do. He couldn't just ignore the situation—that would drive him insane, so he had to have an answer.

The king opened his mouth to explain this to his son, but Adam stopped him with his words. "It wouldn't be any different, Father. Your job as both is to take care of people. Just talk to me. Just tell me how you feel, and we'll handle it from there."

Randor nodded, forced himself to calm down, and searched within for the answer. And, miraculously, it came. Adam was right—there was no difference. His job was to take care of Adam, Adora, Marlena, and their people. Adam being He-Man and Adora being She-Ra changed nothing—it was irrelevant. What he should do was the only thing he could do in either role.

He met Adam's eyes and spoke from where his heart was at that moment: "Adam, words cannot express how much I love you and how proud I am that you have become a man of great worth and unbreakable courage. You have taken on so much responsibility and sacrificed so much for what you think is right. It shames me that I didn't notice and that I made your life harder than it needed to be…"

"Father," interrupted Adam, "there is no reason to be ashamed."

Randor held up his loose hand in a motion for him to silence. "Let me finish," he said calmly.

Adam nodded and squeezed his father's other hand.

"I have every confidence that you will be the best king this planet has ever had, even better than me." Randor smiled abruptly and added, "And, I do believe that is nearly impossible." He then winked.

Adam couldn't help but smile and laugh. Tears came to his eyes, and Randor frowned.

"And, it shames me that praise brings tears to your eyes," the king continued; "It tells me that you're not used to receiving it and that I have been remiss in some of my duties as your father…but that's going to change starting today."

Adam wiped his eyes and insisted firmly, "You have been a great father and I won't let you say otherwise. So we hit a rough patch over the last two years, but circumstances beyond our control caused that. Now that you know, things will get better."

Randor nodded and replied, "Yes, it will." The king then took a deep breath and continued firmly, "And, that's why, Adam, that I—as your king and your father—hereby forbid you to put yourself in danger as He-Man any longer. That goes for you, too, Adora. You are not going back to Etheria and you're not going to endanger yourself as She-Ra any longer."

=)=)=)

Adam didn't know what he had been expecting, but he hadn't expected that, especially when things seemed to be going so well. He knew he must have misunderstood despite hearing the gasps that escaped his mother and sister. "I'm sorry, Father," he whispered, "but I think I misheard you."

Randor straightened and tightened his jaw for a moment before replying, "No, you heard me right. You and Adora are not going to endanger yourselves any longer. I want your sword right now." He then turned to Adora and said, "I know you must have one, as well. I want that, too."

Adam immediately stood and backed away from his father. "What? You can't do this!" he cried, still startled by his father's decision.

Randor stood, as well. "Yes, I can. I'm your king and your father," he insisted in a booming voice, but overall he remained calm.

The prince turned to his mother and Adora. He could see they were as shocked as he was. Then, his sister ran quickly to his side, held his arm with both her hands, and whispered hurriedly, "Okay, brother, what are we going to do? Obviously, we can't give up our swords!"

Adam shook his head at her and replied, "No, we can't!" He turned back to his father and tried to reason with him. "Father, I know you feel like you should protect Adora and me. I understand completely. I realize how frightened you must be at the thought of my fighting Skeletor and saving people across Eternia in various ways. Yes, I put myself in danger's way, as does Adora, but we do it for the right reasons. We do it to protect the people. Like you said earlier, your job is to take care of the people and taking away He-Man and She-Ra is not doing that."

Undeterred, Randor responded, "I know what my job is and you were right, Adam. I have to be both father and king. My job is to protect the both of you and the people. If I allow your masquerades as He-Man and She-Ra continue, I'm failing as a father. I'm putting the needs and wants of the Sorceress above my own children."

Adam couldn't handle that kind of reasoning. He raised his voice unthinkingly and countered, "That's absurd! Adora and I can take care of ourselves, especially when we have the powers of Grayskull, so you need not worry so much about us! And, you still have to protect the people, Father, and once again, taking He-Man and She-Ra out of the picture is not doing that!"

Randor walked over and stood toe-to-toe with Adam. "Oh, really, son?" he asked superiorly; "You can take care of yourself? How were you taking care of yourself when you died on the battlefield at Snake Mountain?"

"I was Adam!" the prince yelled in his defense. "Normally, that doesn't happen when I go against Skeletor!"

"Normally," continued Randor, "but that means that it does happen sometimes and you're vulnerable on those occasions. I cannot allow that to happen at all. And, besides, how were you taking care of yourself as He-Man when the orb that Skeletor sent to destroy Castle Grayskull exploded? Hmm, you could have been killed. Man-at-Arms had to go get you, and I remember how you were when he brought you home. You were dead to the world. I could have chopped your head off and you would have never known! And, how were you taking care of yourself as He-Man when Skeletor enlarged that hawk at Castle Grayskull which grabbed and then dropped you? If the Sorceress hadn't slowed your descent, you might have died even then! Those are just two incidents. I can go back further if you would like to have more examples to prove my point!"

Deciding that she needed to step in and calm things down, Marlena pulled Randor away from Adam and turned him to face her. "Randor, I know how you feel. They're our children and we're absolutely terrified that something might happen to them one day, but it is for the good of the people. Adam's right—we need He-Man and She-Ra!"

Randor shook his head obstinately. "Are you forgetting something?" he asked wrinkling his brow as if he didn't understand her point. When she gestured that she didn't know, he said boastfully, "We have a guard…and with that guard, I defeated Hordak's entire army! I didn't need He-Man and She-Ra, and I can tell you the odds were against us a lot more then than it is with Skeletor and his men now! It doesn't compare at all!"

Marlena opened her mouth but then shut it. What could she say to that?

Randor smirked and nodded at her, knowing he made an excellent point. He then turned back to Adam and Adora who were frantically agreeing with one another that they couldn't allow this to happen. He sighed, called out to both of them, and said composedly, "Look, I understand how you feel. I know the drive to protect others, obviously, and I can even understand why you might think He-Man and She-Ra is the only way to defeat Skeletor and Hordak. Your alter egos do have amazing powers, but there are other ways without endangering you."

"So, endangering the guard is better?" snapped Adam, throwing his hands up in frustration. "Instead of just two people putting themselves in harm's way, we'll put an entire army!"

Randor nodded and said, "Yes, if need be!"

"How can you think that's better, Father?" Adora asked, finally finding the courage to join in. She had never argued with him before and she wished she didn't have to now. "I don't understand your logic here."

Randor turned to Adora specifically and replied, "Protecting the heir to the throne is protecting the people." He then turned back to Adam and explained, "I thought about that before I even knew you were He-Man. I had resolved to talk to you about your trying to sacrifice yourself for me at Snake Mountain. I had already planned on telling you that you cannot endanger yourself again. You have an obligation to our people to protect yourself, Adam. If something happened to you, do you realize the chaos that would ensue? Do you realize how easy it would be for Skeletor to take over if something happened to me and I didn't have an heir?"

Adam paused for a moment in contemplation, but then he countered, "If something happened to me, you could appoint someone else! There's Adora!"

"That's assuming she doesn't die with you," reasoned Randor worriedly, "and besides, as much as I hate to say it, there is no guarantee that the people would accept her as the ruling queen. She was not raised on Eternia, so she doesn't know our customs, the land, or any laws. They tolerated Marlena because they knew I would rule with her and that she would provide an heir. So, they knew in all likelihood that she would never be queen alone."

Adam shook his head again and bellowed, "Then, pick someone else! Anyone!"

"Once again, the people will not accept any random person, and I'm tired of explaining things that you already know! You're quite aware that there would be dissension throughout our kingdom and possibly the entire planet!" Randor snapped; "Look, there's no point in discussing your deaths anyway. I'm not going to allow that to happen-that's my point. Just give me your swords! It's the right thing to do! You cannot out reason me, and you know it!"

Adam and Adora turned to one another and took each other's hand to stand as a united front. The prince held his head high and said, "I'm sorry, Father, but we can't give you our swords." He then motioned with his head towards the door and Adora and he made their way to it and left the room.

King Randor followed them calmly. When he stepped into the hall and looked at the extra guards he had assigned to the area because of Skeletor's attacks on them, he smiled and then called out, "Guards, seize the prince and princess!"

All the guards seemed to be shocked, but they moved into action only a second later. Before Adam and Adora could run, the guards surrounded them. Neither sibling wanted to hurt anyone, so they tried various maneuvers to move them out of the way, but there were too many. Eventually, they had multiple guards grabbing them from behind, preventing them from going anywhere.

Randor frowned as he walked up to them and said, "The Ancients know I didn't want to do that and I hate that it came down to it, but I love you both and I'm looking out for your future and Eternia's. Please forgive me!" He reached out to take their swords.

=)=)=)


	42. Randor's Decision

Noticing Adam Chapter 42

"Please, don't do this!" begged Adam as his father reached behind him to grab the Sword of Power. He struggled against the guards holding him, trying desperately to knock his father's arm away, but it was useless. Randor pulled the sword out with ease and did the same with the Sword of Protection. As people usually were, the guards were totally oblivious to the fact that swords had seemingly been pulled out of thin air. The soldiers didn't bat an eye and simply continued to restrain the twins.

Once the king possessed both swords, he stepped back and watched his children look at him with pleading eyes as they continued to try to free themselves. Ignoring their continuous protests, he spoke over them and said, "I know you're angry with me, but eventually you will come to realize I did this for your own good."

Then, he focused his attention on the guards and ordered, "Take them to the prince's bedchamber and make sure they stay there. Guard the door. I'll be back shortly after I've dealt with these swords."

=)=)=)

Skeletor mumbled to himself as he stared into the view screen in his throne room. He laughed to himself briefly as he spared a quick glance to Modulak. For the past few days, he had watched the happenings at the palace and he had been displeased to learn that Prince Adam was still alive. He had been so sure that he had killed him. No matter, though. The fact that the prince was alive resolved him to do his next task.

A small beep was heard from his view screen and a face appeared: the face of Hordak.

"Skeletor, you treacherous two-faced villain, you dare to contact me!" snapped the overlord of Etheria.

Skeletor remained unfazed and said, "Greetings to you, too, Hordak. It _isn't_ a pleasure to see you again."

"Then, why are you bothering me?"

Skeletor laughed and replied nonchalantly, "I am merely passing along some information that might be of interest to you. Whether you do anything with it or not is for you to decide."

Hordak paused for a moment to contemplate his old pupil's words. "Why do you want to tell me anything regardless of whether I'd find it interesting or not? Better yet, why should I trust anything you tell me?"

"Very good questions, my old friend!" laughed Skeletor. "Just call this a friendly service from one villain to another." Before Hordak could question his integrity again, he continued, "It is something that you will want to know, and it is something that could potentially help me in my fight to take over Eternia."

"What makes you think I would want to help you with anything? You have betrayed me one too many times."

Skeletor exclaimed, "Ha! You have a short memory, Hordak! It was you who betrayed me! But let's set that aside for now—I have information about Princess Adora. Of course, if you're not interested, then I'll pass it along to someone else…"

"Wait, wait!" replied Hordak quickly before Skeletor broke the line of communication between them. "What information do you have?"

Skeletor chuckled in success and answered, "The princess is back on Eternia and she has been here for several days. I thought you might find this of interest since she does not have the protection of the Whispering Woods around her right now."

Hordak mumbled for a few seconds and then said, "You're right. That is valuable information, but tell me, what do you want? Obviously, if I wanted to do something about it, you would have to make a gate for me to come to Eternia. I know you, Skeletor; you won't do that for nothing. What's the catch?"

"No catch for my old teacher. I merely want the Princess of Eternia back on Etheria," he said hurriedly.

"And, why is that?" Hordak was suspicious.

"Let's just say I have a plan to take over the palace and the less members of the Royal Family present, the better. Besides, I got the impression that this particular member is of great importance to you, so I didn't think you'd like her to get hurt."

Cautiously, Hordak replied, "You're right—I wouldn't. Adora is a traitor to the Horde, and the Horde will take care of her punishment for defecting to the enemy. All right, Skeletor, send a gate within the hour."

"With pleasure, Hordak," Skeletor said humorously as he dropped the communication between the two of them. He then turned to Modulak and said, "And, this had better work or you'll be picking fleas off of Beastman for a month."

"Eww, that's disgusting," whispered Modulak as he turned to look at the subject being spoken of.

=)=)=)

Adam paced the room frantically as Adora sat on his bed, watching him. "My brother, please sit down!" she called out. "Walking a hole into the floor is hardly going to help our situation!"

"I know," he replied; "I just I can't believe Father took our swords!" He dropped beside Adora on the bed and covered his face with his hands for a moment before he complained, "I was so stupid, sis! How could I have made the comment that She-Ra loved me as a brother! If it wasn't for that, he never would have figured it out! I'm so stupid!"

Adora put her arm around his shoulder and comforted him. "You are not stupid. You wanted him to know the truth."

Adam hunched over with his elbows on his knees, stared at the floor, and mumbled, "Clearly, I was completely idiotic for wanting that! Singlehandedly, I have put Eternia's and Etheria's futures in jeopardy. With no He-Man and She-Ra, Skeletor and Hordak have much better odds of conquering both planets entirely!"

"We'll find a way to prevent that from happening, brother," stated Adora confidently.

"How?" he asked.

"Do you really have such little faith in us as ourselves, Adam? Father shouldn't have taken away our swords. We might need them in those dire situations that pop up every so often, but we are not helpless and perhaps we rely on our powers too much. We can do this on our own! We're still Castle Grayskull's champions and they chose us for a reason. Father can't stop us from protecting others."

Adam grinned suddenly. "No, Father can't! And, even better, when he sees us doing it as Adam and Adora, he'll realize he'd rather us do it as He-Man and She-Ra!" He sprung to his feet and exclaimed, "If he's so concerned about our safety right now, he'll realize we're safer when we have our swords!" He paused for a moment and then softened his words and expression. "Of course, we are taking a risk if we do that. It's much easier to capture and hurt Adam and Adora than it is He-Man and She-Ra."

"We have to take that risk," replied Adora who stood and touched Adam's arm lightly. "Father has left us with no other choice."

The prince nodded in agreement and then stated frustratingly, "I just wonder if the Sorceress even knows about all of this, and if she does, what does she think about it? It can't be good!"

In the middle of his question, Adora froze as she caught a glimpse of something at the window. When he finished, she motioned with her head for him to look across the room and announced softly, "Well, we can just ask her."

Adam turned and saw Zoar standing on the windowsill. Immediately, the prince turned away and shook his head as he sat back down on the bed. "I'm so sorry, Sorceress," he said softly, knowing she could hear him; "I never meant for any of this to happen."

Zoar flew into the room and perched himself on the back of one of the nearby chairs. Adora sat next to her brother as the Sorceress spoke to them telepathically. _"There is nothing for you to be sorry for, Prince Adam."_

" _How can you say that?"_ cried Adam silently _. "We no longer carry the Swords of Power, because I made it possible for Father to figure out that we're He-Man and She-Ra. I was totally selfish and wrong. I should have let him figure it out on his own without any help."_

" _And, would that have made you happy: to go through more years of your father being oblivious to everything and of you hiding who you truly are from him?"_

Adam sighed and answered honestly _, "No, it wouldn't have made me happy. I do want Father to know our secrets but not at the cost of Eternia and Etheria."_

" _Just like King Randor had to figure out you're He-Man and She-Ra on his own, he has to figure out how important those identities truly are on his own."_

Adam paused and then glanced at Adora briefly. _"So that means our earlier idea was a good one. We'll have to force Father to realize that he'd rather have us with the Swords of Power."_

" _You must do what you think is right, Adam, but be careful. If you die at this time, King Randor will die shortly thereafter, and he is right about all the things he predicted if something should happen to the both of you: your kingdom will fall and the planet will be lost to Skeletor forever. Eternia will never find peace and neither will Etheria."_

The twins gasped as they heard the Sorceress' words. Everything she said concerned them greatly, but there was one thing that drew Adam's attention more than anything else. _"What do you mean Father will die shortly after I do? How?"_

" _I cannot answer that. I only know that it's true, but I can take a few guesses. Your father loves you very much and if you die, that love could drive him to do things that he normally wouldn't do. I think that's been pretty obvious recently."_

Adam shivered as he nodded in agreement and covered his face with his hands again. He didn't want the Sorceress to clarify any further than that. He didn't want to think about the possibilities of how it all could happen. Despite his father's stubbornness and sudden desire to coddle him, he loved the king, and discussing his sire's future death was not something he wanted to do…ever. Tears started to gather in the prince's eyes, but he took a deep breath to steady himself and then dropped his hands from his face.

Adora hugged her brother, and knowing exactly how he was feeling and what he was thinking, she whispered, "It only happens if you die, Adam, and you're not going to die. We won't let that happen."

Adam nodded and glanced back at Zoar. "Thank you for coming to speak with us," he said aloud.

Zoar nodded his head and the Sorceress spoke again. _"You're welcome. Just try not to be too hard on your father in the future. He has legitimate concerns and he loves you both. He's only doing what he thinks is right however misguided. Remember that."_

"I will," he agreed as the falcon flew out the window. "But I'm willing to bet it won't be easy."

Adora dropped her head to his shoulder and said, "I have a feeling you're right."

=)=)=)

Queen Marlena followed King Randor angrily into their bedchambers. She couldn't believe it! Randor had actually taken Adam's and Adora's swords! "Randor!" she exclaimed heatedly; "What do you think you're doing?"

The king didn't answer his wife right away. He only slouched and continued to walk to the bed. When he turned towards her and sat down slowly, he laid both swords in his lap and simply stared at them in silence.

"Randor?" she questioned again—she refused to be ignored.

Finally, he looked up briefly and the queen gasped at the tears that were slipping down his cheeks. Gone was the stern man who had taken control in the hall. Gone was the man who was so sure that his decision to take the swords was right. "I don't know what I'm doing, Marlena," he admitted before dropping his eyes back to the swords.

The queen quickly made her way to her husband and sat beside him. She could tell by the persistent upheaval of his chest that he was really upset. It didn't matter that he had turned his face away so she wouldn't see the pain that was so clearly there. Slowly, she slipped an arm around his back and pulled him towards her. Almost instantly, he twisted to her, wrapped his arms around her, and buried his face in her neck. The swords, forgotten in his lap, fell to the floor and she moved her feet back hurriedly to make sure the blades didn't cut her. She then removed Randor's crown so he could burrow in more easily, ran one hand through his hair, and brought the other hand to his shoulder to hold him tightly as he cried quietly for a few moments.

Eventually, though, she sighed and asked softly, "What's wrong, my love? I know finding out their secrets is shocking, but I have a feeling there's more to these tears and your actions than that and wanting to protect the kingdom."

The king sniffled as he pulled away and mumbled, "Perceptive, as ever, my dear." For several long moments, he stared at the floor where the swords lay and thought about his son and daughter. So many emotions overwhelmed him; so many responsibilities pulled him in opposite directions. He felt torn, broken, and defeated.

Finally, he found the courage to look at his wife despite the trail of tears that he knew was still visible on his face. "I want to protect them—I want to be able to control this." He paused as he closed his eyes and realized a hard truth. "But I know I can't. I realize, Marlena, how important He-Man is to Eternia. I know the same can be said about She-Ra and Etheria. After all, I'm one of the people who always called on He-Man when things got tough. I always expected him to be there…I never once thought about how young he was or what his family went through as he risked his life day after day for us. I took He-Man for granted…and now, I've learned that I have taken Adam for granted far worse than I could have ever imagined. I don't want to do that anymore. I don't want to sit on the sidelines and watch He-Man risk his life for Eternia. I don't want to watch him die."

Marlena squeezed the king's hand and whispered, "Randor, Adam has been doing this for over two years without our help and your knowing. He's proven that he can handle being He-Man."

Randor immediately closed his eyes and squeezed her hand tightly. "I'm not so sure that's true. Marlena, I made everyone swear not to tell you something that happened at Snake Mountain. I thought that it was over so there was no point in upsetting you, but now I see that I have to make you understand why I'm so confused."

Almost instantly, Marlena pulled her hand away. "Randor!" she exclaimed. "This family has kept enough secrets from each other to last a lifetime!"

"I know!" cried Randor firmly. "It's just…I didn't want you to go through the torment that I've been going through. It's horrible and I wouldn't wish these feelings on anyone."

"Keeping me in the dark isn't going to protect me, Randor. It'll only make things worse at this point. So, just tell me what you have been hiding and we'll work through it together. Clearly, keeping it bottled up hasn't helped you and it's affecting your decision-making. Let me help."

Randor nodded several times and avoided her eyes. He looked back down at the swords and whispered, "Adam died. When Skeletor hit Adam with that bolt from his staff, it killed him. I told you it took a lot of power and magic to heal him, but it took so much because they had to bring him back to life." Finally, he looked up and let out a shaky breath. He glanced at his wife and saw tears slipping down her cheeks. "He died right in front of me, Marlena—he died saving my life. The fatal blow should have been mine, but he put himself in the line of fire and there wasn't anything I could do to stop it or help him after the fact. I just…watched him die and it felt like a part of me died with him. I don't ever want to feel that way again."

Fresh tears slipped down his cheeks as he pulled his wife to him. After a few moments of holding one another, he whispered in her ear, "So, do you see why I took their swords? Do you understand? Adam died—we almost lost him. I can't go through that again; I just can't."

Marlena squeezed him tightly for a moment before she pulled away. With tears still falling, she replied, "Oh, Randor, I already knew what happened at Snake Mountain. While you were fighting with Adam in his room, you yelled out that he had died."

"What?" Randor exclaimed, shocked to know that Marlena had already known. "Then, how can you be so calm? How can you not want to protect them?"

Marlena wiped at her tears and replied, "I do want to protect them! Don't you see? If you keep the swords from them, we're going to lose Adam again anyway. I do understand your actions, Randor. I didn't know the details and now that you've shared them, I understand that it was horrifying. I know I wouldn't have been able to handle it if I had been there. And, part of me wants to agree with your decision for that very reason, but our son is not going to let this stop him. If you won't let him fight as He-Man, he will find another way. He has this incredible sense of duty and responsibility, just like you. When you're determined to do something, there is no stopping you; Adam's the same way. He's going to put himself in harm's way again and we're not going to be able to stop him. We don't want to make him resent us and die trying to save the kingdom alone without the help of Castle Grayskull. That's the path you're putting him on, dear! Can **you** see that?"

The king thought about it silently and eventually nodded. "Yes, I can see that. You are right."

The queen nodded and then bent over to pick up the swords at their feet. She handed them to Randor and whispered, "Then, let's give them their swords back. Afterward, you can finally reacquaint yourself with your son and who he truly is. I think it will help you find peace with everything."

=)=)=)

Skeletor and Hordak stood in a corridor within the palace as Evil-Lyn walked up to them disguised as a member of the guard. "According to everyone I've spoken to, Adora and Adam are in the prince's bedchamber. King Randor has confined them there for the time being."

"Good, good," Hordak replied. "How fitting that we have the opportunity to correct the mistake we made over twenty years ago. We can take both now."

Skeletor merely laughed in reply and turned back to Evil-Lyn. "You know what to do. We need a distraction. Go."

Instantly, Evil-Lyn transformed back into her true self and simply walked through the corridors to Adam's bedchamber. Within ten feet of the guards stationed at Adam's door, she laughed evilly and questioned loudly, "Now, which room is King Randor's?"

The guards quickly snapped their attention to the woman who was walking in the opposite direction, heading towards the Royal Couple's room. "Halt! Stop right there!" they both yelled simultaneously.

Evil-Lyn turned around and laughed piercingly. "I think not! Who's going to make me?" She then sprinted towards the king and queen's door, and as expected, the foolish guard followed her, leaving their charges unprotected.

Skeletor and Hordak watched from around the corner at the other end of the hall. "It's time," Skeletor said softly and moved quickly to the prince's door with Hordak close behind. Not stopping in the slightest, Skeletor opened the door with his Havoc Staff pointing into the bedchambers. "My, my, my," he said excitedly as he stepped into the room. "What do we have here?"

Instantly, Adora and Adam jumped off the bed. "Skeletor!" exclaimed Adam, which was quickly followed by a "Hordak!" from Adora after the second villain had shown himself to the room's occupants.

When Hordak lifted his arm, which was currently in its stun-ray form, and Skeletor pointed his Havoc Staff toward the twins, Adam immediately stepped in front of Adora. She tried to push him out of the way, but he quickly swung his right arm behind himself to grab and pull Adora against his back to keep her in place.

"What do you want?" he yelled.

Both villains laughed sadistically and Hordak replied, "Why, the both of you!"

=)=)=)

King Randor and Queen Marlena opened their bedchamber door and gasped at the sight before them. Evil-Lyn was within five feet of them with members of his guard crashing into her and shoving her onto the ground. When the soldiers saw the king and queen before them, one questioned, "Are you all right, Your Majesties?"

As Marlena answered affirmatively, Randor looked down at Evil-Lyn's expression and saw the cruel grin that adorned her face. He knew at that moment with horrible certainty that she had achieved whatever she wanted. "Oh, no!" he suddenly exclaimed as he turned towards Adam's bedchambers to see that it was unguarded. Hurriedly, with both Swords of Power, he ran, determined to reach his children, and yelled for the guard.


	43. Mistakes Realized

Noticing Adam Chapter 43

A chill ran through Randor as he yelled for his guard and sprinted to his son's bedchamber. Marlena had insisted that they give the swords back to Adam and Adora, and while he had been a little hesitant, even after agreeing that she was right about him forcing Adam onto a path of fighting without He-Man's powers, he now realized without a doubt that the decision to take the swords had been a bad one, especially if he found what he expected to find in Adam's bedchambers.

Randor ran into the room and cried out in alarm as he saw Hordak and Skeletor pointing their weapons at his children, or should he say Adam. Like the hero he now knew his son to be, Adam was attempting to shield Adora even though he could tell she was very angry at the fact. His son had her pressed against the bed tightly where she couldn't get out from behind him unless she sat down and crawled across it, and given the circumstances, that wasn't a smart thing to do.

Determined to get their attention off his children and onto him, he yelled, "Skeletor! Hordak!"

Instantly, Skeletor turned towards him while Hordak merely looked and kept his weapon aimed at the twins. "Ah, King Randor," said Skeletor in amusement. "Come to watch your son die again?"

Randor sucked in a breath sharply as Marlena gasped. "No," he responded determinedly, "I came to watch you lose as usual!" Then, he thought angrily, " _Where is the damn guard?_ " He took a step forward—he was prepared to fight this battle alone if he had to. He would protect his children.

"Father, no!" he heard Adam yell frantically, and Randor couldn't help but think, " _At least he now knows how it feels to watch a loved one put himself in harm's way. He doesn't seem to like it any more than I do._ "

Then, almost like a prayer had been answered, Man-at-Arms and Teela, along with several members of the guard, ran into the room. As expected in a moment like this, the king heard Teela cry out in alarm when she realized what was happening. She didn't like his son being in the line of fire either.

"Give it up, Skeletor!" Man-at-Arms shouted. "You're surrounded and we've already captured Evil-Lyn! There's no way you're getting out of here with Adam and Adora!"

Skeletor chuckled a little and said, "That's what you think!"

Hordak merely agreed by nodding his head and adding, "Did you really think we'd come alone?"

At that moment, Adam and Adora yelled, "Look out!"

Instantly, the room was filled with Horde Troopers and Shadow Weaver, as well several of Skeletor's minions: Beastman, Tri-Klops, Trap Jaw, Mer-Man, and Modulak.

Man-at-Arms merely shook his head and exclaimed, "And, do you really think you have enough men to surround us here?" He immediately brought his comlink to his mouth and yelled, "Now! Surround the room now!"

Adam and Adora could see that even more guard had gathered outside in the hall and some had worked their way into the room so that they could aim their weapons at the new intruders.

"There's no way out," continued Duncan. "Just leave."

Skeletor glanced briefly at Hordak and replied, "Not a chance. We have the advantage! We have the prince and princess!"

Hordak started making his way to the twins while Skeletor backed up to do the same.

"No!" yelled Randor as he tossed the Sword of Protection to Teela who caught it with ease and immediately began to run with the king toward the evil duo.

=)=)=)

Adam watched the room erupt into chaos as soon as Skeletor revealed that they planned on using him and his sister to get out unscathed. His father tossed the Sword of Protection to Teela and they both ran towards them, but what surprised Adam the most was what happened behind them. Almost immediately, the Horde Troopers started shooting members of the guard and vice versa while Shadow Weaver used a spell to secure the door, which stopped more guards from entering.

Quickly, the room became engulfed in freeze-ray blasts from one side to the other while Skeletor's men started fighting one-on-one with several guardsmen, including Man-at-Arms. Adam watched in horror as one of the ray blasts hit the queen.

"Mother!" cried Adam, which immediately caught the attention of Randor and Teela. They both glanced behind them to see Marlena on the ground with Beastman heading towards her. The king quickly motioned with his head for Teela to go to her. Before Randor could turn back, however, Adam had to yell out in warning that Skeletor was approaching. "Father, look out!"

Randor immediately dropped to the floor as Skeletor swung out his Havoc Staff to hit the king in the head.

Unable to simply watch anymore, Adam squeezed his sister's side comfortingly before he sprinted towards Skeletor. Adora took this opportunity to make her way towards Hordak. Neither one had any weapons, but they knew they couldn't sit back and do nothing.

Adam ran and flew into Skeletor from behind and knocked him to the ground as his father got to his feet quickly.

"Adam!" the king exclaimed and hurriedly went to help him. Father and son immediately hoisted Skeletor to his feet and Adam held the villain's hands behind his back so he wouldn't get away.

The prince was all smiles! He grinned at his father and said excitedly, "Wow! Who would have thought King Randor and Prince Adam would be the ones to catch Skeletor!"

Before the king could smile and respond, they were distracted by Hordak. "No one would have thought it and it still hasn't happened!"

They turned to face him and were shocked to see that he had Adora in much the same manner as Adam had Skeletor. "I suggest you let him go, or you'll never see Adora again!"

Adam looked to his father and Randor shook his head negatively. "No," he answered, "if we let him go, you'll just leave with Adora. No deal."

Skeletor laughed amusedly and said, "I think you're finally wising up, Randor. Unfortunately for you, you haven't smartened up enough." Without warning, Skeletor reached his hands up to grab Prince Adam, who was still holding him at his wrists, and disappeared, taking Adam and his minions with him and leaving Hordak and his men behind!

"Adam!" Adora and Randor yelled as Hordak yelled, "Skeletor! You traitor!" He was completely distracted by Skeletor's departure.

=)=)=)

King Randor was outraged! More than that, he was incensed! He looked around and saw with the leaving of Skeletor's men that everything had just about settled down except for a few Hordesmen and Shadow Weaver, who were quickly subdued by the now unoccupied guards.

His eyes fell to his wife, who was still on the ground being attended to by Teela and Man-at-Arms. Then, with a look of hatred settling upon him, he turned to Hordak, who was still raving irately about Skeletor's betrayal. He walked over to him determinedly, held the Sword of Power over Adora's shoulder to the villain's neck, and hissed, "Let my daughter go now, or so help me I will kill you! Don't even think about trying to do otherwise!"

Immediately, Hordak jumped a little in surprise, but then he laughed. "If you think I believe—" He was quickly cut off by a sudden onslaught of pain.

The king pressed the blade slightly into his neck and a trickle of blood oozed from the wound. "Don't push me or think for one second that I won't kill you right now, Hordak! Your men just hurt my wife, you kidnapped Adora and stole twenty years of her life from me, and you just helped Skeletor—a man who almost killed my son a few days ago—capture him. I am NOT in such a forgiving and compassionate mood right now, and if you don't believe me, I guarantee it will be the last mistake you make." Randor pressed the blade even more into his neck, and Hordak quickly dropped his arms and let Adora go.

"Father!" exclaimed Adora as she wrapped her arms around the king and pushed him away from Hordak. "Don't kill him—he's not worth the pain and torment that it would bring you if you did!"

As he allowed Adora to push him away, he continued to hold the sword out until the guards brought Shadow Weaver, the only other living opponent in the room, over to stand with Hordak.

"What do you wish to do with them, sire?" one of the guards asked, but before Randor could answer Shadow Weaver laughed sinisterly.

"I thank you for your help. I was wondering how I would get to Hordak." She quickly grabbed him by the hand and they disappeared before the guardsmen could grab them.

For a moment, everyone stood there silently, looking at the spot where they had disappeared feeling completely dumbfounded. Suddenly, Randor pulled away from Adora and exploded, "For all that is sacred on Eternia, how in the WORLD can we defeat people who disappear every BLASTED time you capture them? How can anyone beat that?" He then turned furiously to a nearby low table and drove the Power Sword through it. He turned to Man-at-Arms and spat, "They have my son **again** , Duncan! It's time for the guard to do their job! We have to get him back and this **must** stop! I don't care what we have to do—I want Skeletor to regret the day he ever saw me or my son!"

The king then marched over to his wife and kneeled down beside her. Marlena was just getting over the effects of the freeze-ray, so she was able to grab his hand and comfort him. "I'm okay, Randor," she whispered. "I'm just a little stiff at the moment, but it's going away."

He nodded and looked over at Teela who was kneeling on the other side of the queen. He reached his hand out and took back the Sword of Protection from her. He smiled comfortingly at his wife and then stood. Without preamble, the king ordered, "I want everyone except Man-at-Arms, Teela, Adora, and my wife to leave the room…now. Tell all supervisors to go to the conference room and wait for me."

Immediately, the soldiers followed their orders and shut the door behind them. When Randor was sure they were away from the door, he turned to Adora and held her sword out to her. "I know it seems like all I do is make mistakes when it comes to you and Adam recently, but I want you to know that I'm very proud of you both and I'm going to try very hard to get used to the idea of Adam being He-Man and you being She-Ra…"

Cries of surprise immediately interrupted the king, and he turned to see Teela and Duncan gaping at him. He smirked at them and said, "Yes, I know now, and we will discuss your part in all of this in the near future, but for right now…" He turned back to Adora. "…I think we need to call on She-Ra to help us get her brother back. Do you think that can be arranged?"

Adora smiled, took her sword back from her father, and hugged him fiercely. "I'm sure it can be," she cried as they squeezed each other heartily. When they pulled back, Adora quickly walked away from everyone to the center of the room and held her sword up. "For the honor of Grayskull," she cried, "I am She-Ra!"

Once the transformation was complete, Randor stood before his daughter in awe. "That was…that was…something." He suddenly smiled and said, "I can't wait to see Adam turn into He-Man. I imagine it's just as spectacular." The king bent down and helped his wife get to her feet as he saw her rising.

Once standing, Queen Marlena glanced over to She-Ra and replied, "I wouldn't know. I've only seen Adora change, myself, but she claims it's even better than hers!"

She-Ra smiled and said, "Let's just say it's more electrifying."

Randor jumped at the She-Ra's voice and shook his head in disbelief. "I can't believe I never saw the similarities before. It's like I'm looking at Adora with longer hair and a voice change."

Teela stepped forward and stated, "I haven't seen Adam turn into He-Man, yet, either, but just remembering what he looks like, I can't help but think our entire planet is filled with morons!"

Everyone, except Randor, laughed. She-Ra reached out to Teela and said, "It's part of the swords' power. You're not supposed to see how similar we are unless you already know the secret."

The king cleared his throat and said, "As much as I do want to discuss you and Adam, your alter egos, and how blind we were, I'd much rather do it after we get Adam back! The longer he's at Snake Mountain, the antsier I become. Now that She-Ra's present, let's go to the conference room and figure out what we're going to do."

=)=)=)

Prince Adam stood shocked momentarily as the environment suddenly changed into that of the throne room at Snake Mountain. When his brain finally caught up with his eyes, he pulled away from Skeletor and turned to run. Unfortunately, the only exit was blocked by a multitude of Skeletor's men.

"Sorry, Prince," exclaimed Beastman. "There's nowhere to run or hide this time…and no books to throw either."

Adam turned to him, wrinkled his brow, and snapped, "I've already proven I don't need a book or anything else to defeat you!"

Immediately, Beastman snarled and started to make his way to Adam, but Trap Jaw and Mer-Man grabbed him, shaking their heads.

Skeletor stepped around the prince and chuckled. "Pipe down, you miserable fleabag! I'm thinking," he snapped to Beastman. After a few moments of contemplation, he stated, "We may not have gotten who we went for, but I think our trip was worth it to get the opportunity to finish what I started a few days ago. Wouldn't you agree, Prince Adam?" He laughed evilly.

Adam knew the monster was referring to his death, so he swallowed roughly. He wanted to spit a scathing reply, but he became nearly paralyzed as he remembered the Sorceress' words before Skeletor had shown up: " _If you die at this time, King Randor will die shortly thereafter_ _."_ He didn't know what to do or say to defuse the situation or change Skeletor's plans, so he simply stood there.

Beastman stepped forward and studied him. "Oh, the prince is scared!" he exclaimed happily and laughed. Before he could produce another zinger to rouse Adam's ire, an angry voice rang throughout Snake Mountain.

"Not as scared as you and Skeletor are going to be very soon!"

Everyone in the throne room swirled around to see Hordak and Shadow Weaver barge inside, pushing Two-Bad and Tung-Lasher out of the way. "Skeletor!" yelled Hordak. "You have betrayed me one too many times, and now, you're going to answer to the Horde for your insolence!"

Skeletor turned his full attention to Hordak and stated heatedly, "Don't be a fool, Hordak! Do you really think you'll be able to catch _me_ in my own domain? Besides, I merely made the best out of a bad situation. I knew we wouldn't be able to leave with the Princess of Eternia because your pathetic robots couldn't hold off the Royal Guard! So, I took the next best thing that I had access to." He nodded his head towards Adam. "I knew my old teacher would be able to escape, so I took those that I knew couldn't."

"Is that so, Skeletor?"

"Yes," he replied. "And, now that you're here, we can devise another plan to get the princess…"

Hordak looked at Adam and said, "I already have one. Give Prince Adam to me. Adora will follow her brother back to Etheria and we will get the added bonus of riling King Randor even more than he already is."

Skeletor immediately lifted his Havoc Staff and said, "I have more use for the Prince of Eternia than you! He and I have unfinished business. You can settle for the princess or leave Snake Mountain!"

Hordak grumbled angrily for a moment before stating, "I want Prince Adam! You owe me, Skeletor, for taking these imbeciles with you instead of me and Adora!"

"Ha! I owe you nothing, Hordak!" snapped Skeletor. "I've already told you I help no one but myself and I didn't see any gain by helping you."

"Oh, you didn't, did you? Well, how about this?" Instantly, Hordak morphed his arm into his stun gun and fired at Skeletor.

Skeletor held up a hand and absorbed the shot without a flinch or any other indication of pain. He then aimed his Havoc Staff and returned fire.

Soon, everyone else was running from the room or taking cover, because the men ceased to care about anything: people or surroundings. They only cared about defeating each other.

Adam knelt to the floor and stared at the now open entrance. " _If I can just make it out there, I can escape!_ " he thought. Carefully and slowly so he wouldn't draw attention to himself, Adam crawled towards the door.

=)=)=)


	44. Randor's Call-to-Arms

Noticing Adam Chapter 44

Adam crouched low to the ground and crawled towards the door. With all the chaos that was ensuing, no one even looked at him! Beastman and the others who had remained in the room tried desperately to avoid getting hit by the numerous stun rays that scattered almost everywhere—to do this, their attention could only be on Hordak and Skeletor.

"And, take that, Hordak!" he heard Skeletor yell just as he crossed the threshold into the hallway. Immediately, he turned the corner, and once he was out of sight, he stood and sprinted towards the stairs. He knew as soon as Skeletor or Hordak realized he was gone, they would start looking for him. Since he didn't have his sword to turn into He-Man, he knew at this time the best course of action was to run.

The minute Adam got to the stairs, he quickly jumped down the steps two at a time. While he didn't want to break his neck trying to escape, he knew he didn't have a moment to spare. When Beastman had joked earlier that he had been scared, that had actually been the truth. Of course, it was for totally different reasons than Beastman had believed: he wasn't afraid of dying. As a matter of fact, part of him always believed he would die young, thanks to his obligations as He-Man. He didn't want to die—he wanted to live, but he was prepared for the worst. It would be foolish not to be; he knew everyday could be his last. Death would not blindside him. What scared him was the possibility of his father dying if something happened to him. The Sorceress said it would happen, and he didn't doubt her.

So, Adam's main objective was to stay alive at this point. If he had the Sword of Power with him, he might have thought about giving Skeletor a little payback for all the hassles he had put his family and him through recently. How he wished he could do so at that moment, and the thought made him smile despite his current predicament. The irony was not lost on him. For a long time, he had the desire to "get away" from He-Man and just be Prince Adam for a while. He realized now that he had spent more extended time as Adam this week than he ever had since obtaining the Sword of Power…and he absolutely felt like a part of himself was in hibernation. It wasn't missing—he could still feel that part of himself, but just like a bear wouldn't rouse him or herself completely until the spring, he couldn't do so without his sword. And, it was driving him crazy!

He didn't know when he would get back to the palace, but he was already determined to have a long talk with his father. Prince Adam was He-Man and He-Man was Prince Adam. He realized he had never really understood that completely until now. He had tricked himself into believing that they were two separate people—he had conditioned himself to think that way, so he would never slip up and say "I" when referring to He-Man. But Prince Adam didn't cease to exist when he became He-Man, and his father needed to realize that being He-Man, taking that alter ego, was the most natural thing in the world to him and the king would be crippling him if he took that ability away. Would Prince Adam be able to survive? Yes. But instinctively, he would always want to turn to that part of himself that he wouldn't be able to access fully first, and in those crucial moments, that could prove hazardous.

But of course, those thoughts and that conversation had to wait. Right now, he had to get out of Snake Mountain and back to Eternos. And, at that moment, the necessity became a little harder to achieve.

=)=)=)

Skeletor paid no attention to the debris and dust flying across the room. All that mattered was defeating Hordak. His throne room chair had been destroyed, his council table had been split, his view screen had been busted, and the walls had massive chunks missing. The Lord of Snake Mountain was oblivious to it all.

At that moment, he was looking up at Hordak who currently had the bottom portion of his body in rocket form. The Horde leader swooped down hurriedly to catch his foe in a net, but Skeletor quickly disappeared and reappeared on the other side of the room.

"You're getting slow, old friend," quipped Skeletor. "Maybe you should concede to the better villain." He laughed amusedly.

"When I see a better villain, I might, traitor!" Quickly, Hordak shot another stun beam at him, which Skeletor avoided by simply turning his body sideways.

Skeletor laughed again and bragged, "I have come closer to conquering Eternia and obtaining the secrets of Castle Grayskull than you ever have, Hordak, and I do it all without a pathetic army of tin cans and imbeciles with no brains! You may have been the teacher once, but maybe if you stick around and watch, you might learn something." He then shot a beam into the air and broke off a chunk of the ceiling which fell alarmingly close to Hordak before he shot out of the way.

"So you claim," the Hordesman scoffed, "but from what I see you live in a snake pit with a bunch of buffoons who couldn't capture a sea fish on their best day!" He shot again and looked around the room. He saw the destruction and everyone cowering in terror. He paused as he studied each person carefully. Suddenly, he yelled, "Idiot! Do you realize what you've done?"

Skeletor quickly made his Havoc Staff appear and exclaimed, "YES! DEFEATED YOU!" Another attempt to hit Hordak was made and this time, he found his target. Hordak fell to the ground and landed with a sickening thud. Instantly, Skeletor laughed successfully and pumped his fists in victory. "I've done it! I have defeated Hordak! What a wonderful day! First, I get Prince Adam and now…"

Skeletor paused once he looked around the room and noticed that the prince was no longer in sight.

"FOOLS!" yelled Skeletor as he turned to Beastman and the others. "Where is Prince Adam?"

The villains looked around as Skeletor shot his Havoc Staff out to the right and caught Shadow Weaver, who had taken cover behind several large boulders which had fallen from the ceiling, in a force field. While he moved the conjurer to Hordak, he snapped, "Sound the alarms and release the robots! Prince Adam cannot escape!"

Beastman did as asked. Thankfully, the control panel for the alarms still worked. Afterward, Skeletor's men ran from the room to recapture the prince as Skeletor looked at his prisoners and thought about what he should do with them.

Despite Adam's escape, he laughed in amusement.

=)=)=)

It was so surreal to him. King Randor stared at She-Ra as she sat beside him and talked to Man-at-Arms about the plans he had just shared with them. They were figuring out who would do what, and it was shocking to see how confident and how Adora-like the woman truly was.

It didn't change anything. His worries from before were still there—he was still afraid for his children. He still didn't like that they faced evil day after day. The fact that She-Ra was more like Adora than Adora was like She-Ra (if that made any sense) was a little unsettling. Adora was able to make mistakes and get hurt whereas She-Ra had always seemed omnipotent and godlike, just like He-Man. With that perception lost, it changed everything, and he knew he had to work through that. Marlena had been right earlier. He would have pushed Adam and Adora into fighting on their own and they might have gotten hurt. He had already proven that to himself with Adam's second abduction. Because of his decision to take Adam's sword, it was very possible his son might get hurt again. It was the same result no matter what he did for his children, but at least they had a better chance with Castle Grayskull's powers helping them.

Of course, that didn't mean he liked it. Not by a long shot. And, he did have plans to go back to Castle Grayskull to talk with the Sorceress about it. He understood that she gave up much herself to protect this planet…but she had to understand his side of things, too. They needed to come up with a better plan than simply presuming that He-Man and She-Ra could handle everything. After all, the more he thought about it, the more he realized the Sorceress had given Teela to Man-at-Arms, not to protect Grayskull but to protect her child. It was clear to him that just like Adam had to take his spot one day, it was likely Teela had to take hers. He couldn't help but ask himself if that was the case, why had the Sorceress allowed Teela to be raised elsewhere? Didn't it make more sense for Teela to learn her responsibilities and observe her mother as she grew up? It would have made the transition easier. She would have had an idea of what to do when her time came. The only answer that made sense is that she wanted to protect her daughter. She wanted her in a safe environment with a loving parent who could devote a hundred percent of his time to her. She had done something for Teela and herself instead of Castle Grayskull when she gave her child to Man-at-Arms, and he wanted to do the same. He knew now that he couldn't stop Adam and Adora from protecting people or becoming He-Man or She-Ra, but he knew there had to be a way to make their lives easier and he would find it, just like the Sorceress had for Teela.

The thought made him feel a little better, but first, he had to get Adam back, which brought him out of his reverie and back to the present.

King Randor stood and asked, "Has everyone arrived?"

Man-at-Arms nodded and answered, "Yes, sire."

"Then, let's do this."

King Randor, Queen Marlena, She-Ra, Teela, and Man-at-Arms rose from the table and made their way to the lower balcony of the palace where the king addressed the masses when he had to. Once they arrived, the king immediately went to the group of people present. "It's good to see all of you—I only hate that it's under such unfortunate and dire circumstances," Randor stated.

King Stefen, Randor's brother, stepped forward and replied, "I hate it, too, but at least everyone realizes we can come together when needed." The Dyperian monarch then gestured towards his other siblings, friends, and over the balcony and continued, "There's quite a turnout."

King Randor and Queen Marlena took the center spot between all the members of Royalty present, stepped up to the balcony's railing, and looked out onto the crowd. The city square wasn't filled with commoners or street merchants now. As far as the eye could see in every direction, soldiers of Eternos, Dyperia, Morainia, and many other kingdoms on the planet stood at attention waiting to be addressed by Eternia's High King.

Excitement buzzed in the air because they knew a war was approaching—the last time King Randor had called upon all the armies within the allied kingdoms, they had been fighting the Horde. That meant this moment was monumental.

"Are you sure this is the right course of action?" asked Marlena. "What if Skeletor hurts Adam when he sees us coming?"

"He wouldn't dare when he sees the size of this accompaniment—surely, he wouldn't be that stupid."

The king stood before the microphone then raised his arms in a gesture to tell the gathering that he was about to speak. Despite the multitude of people present, not a sound was heard as they waited for King Randor to speak:

"Citizens of Eternia, brothers and sisters-in-arms, today…today is a day that no one had anticipated on in the foreseeable future, and yet, it has arrived. The last time Eternia had such a day, a hostile force called the Horde had invaded our planet. Most of you were babes in your mothers' arms or not even born, and I was a young man around your age. Much has changed since that time. Over the years, I have ruled along with the other kings, queens, and prime ministers you see before you in peace. Together, we showed the world, and perhaps the universe, that there are better ways to rule and better ways to settle disagreements. Every one of you knows that I strive to always find a peaceful solution to every problem. I do not take lightly the consequences of calling our kingdoms' soldiers to arms. I know what I am asking of you, and given that, you have a right to know why I have called upon you.

"Skeletor has always been a thorn in our sides, a menace that tries periodically to shake our unity and our very way of life. I am proud to say that we have always succeeded in keeping that threat at bay. But today, friends, we have a new chapter to write. We did not ask for this change, but it must be done in light of what Skeletor has done.

"For those of you unaware, our mutual enemy has taken extraordinary measures recently to take over our planet. He devised several plans to invade Castle Grayskull which thankfully, He-Man thwarted…but our champion did not walk away unscathed. I do not need to explain to you the seriousness of this news—you know. Also, Skeletor has kidnapped members of the Royal Family several times this week alone including myself. Right now, Skeletor has your future High King , Prince Adam, at Snake Mountain. He has threatened his life recently and even almost succeeded in that threat a few mere days ago.

"I call upon you because I would like your help in getting my son—your future king—back, but I do not wish to force you if you think the risk is too great. If this is how you feel, you may leave now. There will be no reprimand or loss of honor—you may go about your life in peace as you always have."

King Randor paused and looked around. No one moved. Every soldier stayed alert and at attention. After several moments he continued:

"I will not lie to you. I do not know what will happen today. I do not know if all of you will come back alive, but I will promise that everyone will be brought back. Just like you are unwilling to leave my son in the clutches of a madman, I will not leave you.

"Skeletor has changed the status quo. He uses deadly force to get his way now. I am a man of peace, but there is a time when every man and woman has to fight for what is right and what they believe in. Sometimes a fight is unavoidable. We must send Skeletor a message today—united, we will show him that we will NOT tolerate his villainy or his threats. Right now he targets the Royal Family of Eternos, but how long will it take before he turns to one of you? I do not want to see that day—you do not want to see that day.

"Today, we stand unified in our desire to keep Eternia free…free from tyranny, constant war, and hate! Today, citizens, we march on Snake Mountain!"

Immediately, the soldiers raised their arms and yelled in cries of support.

King Randor felt tears gather in his eyes and he nodded at the crowd. He turned slightly to Man-at-Arms who was behind him and said, "Brief our leaders on which side of Snake Mountain they will be stationed and at what time. We must prevent Skeletor's escape, so we must be there together and covering both land and air."

Duncan bowed. "Yes, Your Majesty."

As the soldier began to walk away, Randor called out, "Duncan!"

When the man turned around, he said simply, "Thank you."

Duncan merely nodded and smiled encouragingly.

=)=)=)


	45. Preparing for Battle

Noticing Adam Chapter 45

King Randor stood in front of the mirror as Marlena helped attach his blue cape to his battle armor. He wore a red-orange shirt as well as a red-orange chest armor with a golden breastplate that extended from his shoulders to a cross that stretched down his torso. In the center of that cross was a blue jewel that matched the color of his cape. Aside from that, he also wore a red fur-pant (which was slightly darker than his shirt), and yellow-orange tights, along with blue boots. He hadn't worn this in years—since the war with the Horde—but it still fit, and he knew it would serve its purpose now.

"You look like a force to be reckoned with, my love," stated Marlena as she stepped around his body to face him. She slipped his golden wrist guards on each arm carefully and then pulled on them to make sure they were secure.

He could tell she was nervous. "That's the idea, my queen," he whispered as he grabbed her hand and brought it to his lips for a soft kiss. He wanted the action to comfort her, but he quickly noticed that the opposite had occurred.

Tears gathered in her eyes and she cried, "I hate this, but I know you have to go! You have to lead the troops. It's just..." She stretched herself upward and kissed Randor softly. When she pulled away, she continued, "Promise me you will bring Adam, Adora, and yourself home safely."

He wrapped his arms around his wife and whispered, "I promise. Nothing will stop me from doing so."

At that moment, Man-at-Arms walked into the room and cleared his throat. When the couple turned to look at him, he said, "Forgive me, Your Majesties, but everyone is ready."

"It's time," Randor whispered as he looked at the queen once more. He kissed her quickly and then went to the bed. He picked up a spear which he handed to Man-at-Arms, who had walked over to him. It was the king's usual weapon, but it wasn't what he would carry for right now. Instead, he picked up the Sword of Power in his hand. He had already decided that he would carry and fight with this weapon until he returned it safely to its rightful owner. He knew that it would be a symbolic moment between him and his son, and he looked forward to doing it.

And, he had no doubt that it would happen.

=)=)=)

Adam continued to run down the steps of Snake Mountain until he heard the alarm ring throughout the air. He knew if he stayed on the main staircase they would find him immediately now that they knew he was missing, so he quickly ran through the hall on one of the floors and hid behind one of the many pillars that held the mountain together.

In the distance he saw Skeletor's robots heading his way, so he hoped the machines hadn't caught sight of him. Fortunately, when they reached his location, they moved right past him without hesitation.

He sighed in relief, but despite escaping detection, he knew he couldn't stay there. He had to get out of Snake Mountain; otherwise, they would find him eventually.

Cautiously, he stuck his head out from behind the column and looked in both directions. When he saw the coast was clear, he ran to an obscure staircase that he knew about, thanks to his explorations of Snake Mountain as He-Man. He knew Skeletor wouldn't expect Prince Adam to know about it, so he wouldn't think to look there right away.

He could only hope that about the time Skeletor and his crew did think to look there, he would be long gone and well on his way back to Eternos.

=)=)=)

Randor stood beside his family and assured them, "We will be victorious, and we will get Adam back."

"I have no doubt about that," She-Ra said as she climbed onto Swiftwind. Earlier, she had asked the Sorceress to bring Spirit to her and she had obliged. Her father wanted her to lead the air attack and she would rather have Swiftwind than a Skysled or a Windraider when taking on such a big task.

Randor walked over to his brothers and sister and hugged each of them. "Thank you for helping me," he whispered as they all nodded and hugged him back.

"We wouldn't have it any other way," replied Stefen when his brother and he parted, but everyone suddenly got quiet as they saw a man approach them from behind Randor.

"Good," said a familiar voice, interrupting the moment, "I was afraid I wouldn't make it in time."

Immediately, Randor twirled around to see King Miro walking towards them. "Father!" he exclaimed as he ran towards him and hugged him fiercely. Soon, all of Randor's siblings joined them and they found themselves in a huge group hug.

When they parted, Miro smiled briefly at all of his children. He then turned to look at Marlena and all of the others present. "That would have been a perfect moment if Marlena had joined us and two weren't missing," he observed.

Tears gathered in Randor's eyes, but he blinked them away quickly.

Miro clutched Randor's bicep and stated, "I have heard Skeletor has my grandson—I came to offer my assistance—but where is my granddaughter? I've heard she's home."

The King of Eternia looked to She-Ra absentmindedly and then caught himself. He knew when people spoke of Adora that he really shouldn't immediately turn to glance at She-Ra. That would seem more than a little odd to those who were not aware of whom She-Ra really was.

He quickly realized he had to stop himself from having reactions like that. His instincts to such occasions might have been a reason why the Sorceress felt the need for his children to keep their secrets from him in the first place. He sighed, knowing that he couldn't tell his father his children's secrets, and answered, "She's distraught that Skeletor has her brother—she wanted to be alone, but she's safe." It was the best excuse he could think of at the spur of the moment.

King Miro believed it. He nodded and looked around at everyone present. "What do you want me to do, son?"

Randor bit his lip thoughtfully for a moment, knowing Miro might not like his answer. "Truthfully, there is something I would like for you to do. I was nervous about leaving Marlena here alone and there being…no one to help her in the future if something should happen."

His wife gasped.

"Nothing's going to happen," he reassured her, glancing at her briefly before turning back to his father, "but I'd feel much better if you were here with her...just in case."

King Miro grimaced at the request but stepped back and studied his son in his battle armor. "I'll admit I want to go to this battle with you," he replied, "but I've heard many stories of you and our troops defeating the Horde. I have no doubt that you'll be able to overcome this threat, too…so yes, I'll stay with Marlena. If it will give you peace of mind while fighting, I'll do it."

Randor nodded and immediately hugged his father, realizing that this was something he would also have to do constantly with Adam in the near future, but the roles would be reversed. He would have to look into Adam's eyes—or He-Man's—and agree to stay behind while his son defended Eternia from whatever problems arose to threaten them. It ashamed him that he hadn't handled it with as much class as his father had just done when the notion of Adam fighting first arose.

Rightly, his father hadn't fought him—he had merely accepted it, knowing his son had to fight to get Adam back and to keep Eternia safe.

Turning away from Miro in his shame, he found Marlena right behind him. She cupped his face tenderly and whispered, "I know what you're thinking. They're two separate situations entirely. You have an army with you and your father knows you won't be doing this almost every single day of your life. Please don't torture yourself. Adam and Adora understand why you reacted as you did, and you're correcting it. You have no reason to feel guilty for being a father and wanting to protect your children. No one faults you."

The king smiled lightly and hugged his wife tightly. "I love you, Marlena," he whispered.

"I love you, too."

He pulled away and grinned. "And, I can't wait to get back so you can continue to keep me straight!"

She laughed and boasted, "You and Adam!"

He nodded and whispered, "Well, this is it, my queen. Wish us luck."

"You don't need it, Randor, but I'll do it anyway."

=)=)=)

Adam ran down the steps until he could barely move anymore. He wanted desperately to get out of Skeletor's lair. He wasn't sure why, but he had an unshakable feeling that if he just got outside, he would be safe at that very instant. He knew that belief was illogical, but he could hardly argue with the desire. He wanted nothing more than to leave Snake Mountain whether his feeling was true or not.

So, he ignored the pain in his legs and kept moving.

After several more minutes of running and sometimes stumbling slightly down the steps, the prince found himself on the ground floor. "Thank the Ancients," he mumbled to himself.

Leaving the stairwell, he peered into the corridor that would lead to the waterfall exit of the mountain. He looked in every direction, and when he reassured himself that no one else was present, he took off running.

He couldn't believe he was getting out of Snake Mountain so easily! " _I'll have to remember to thank Hordak the next time I see him_!" he thought with a smirk. He knew if it hadn't been for the Horde dictator, he might not have ever gotten the opportunity to escape. It was another ironic moment that joined so many others recently. This was one he was grateful for, though.

In the short distance, he saw the exit and the ruby red waterfall. His body filled with immense relief and he found himself running even faster. Just as he was within ten feet of the exit, a being stepped from behind a pillar in front of him.

It was Beastman.

Adam immediately gasped and stopped abruptly as the villain snarled at him.

"There's no escape for you, Prince Adam!" he snapped. "Skeletor had plans to kill you, but I think I'm going to do it myself. The payback for humiliating me will be worth Skeletor's anger. Besides, I'll tell him I didn't have any other choice."

The villain took a step forward and Adam immediately crouched down in a defensive position. It seemed that he had to fight Beastman again. This time it was for his freedom instead of Teela's, but just like last time, he was determined to win…and this time, he wasn't going to start off by holding himself back like had before.

=)=)=)

Man-at-Arms, Teela, and King Randor rode in the AttakTrak and kept glancing at one of Man-at-Arms' new inventions. It showed them where heated bodies were for whatever distance it was set for. They were currently using it to keep track of where the Eternian Army was.

They were all surrounding Snake Mountain slowly. No one wanted to rush and get there early. Undoubtedly, a group doing so might tip Skeletor off that something was occurring and he might run before they could block all exits. Of course, the villain might already know of their plans since he had always managed to keep up with the happenings on Eternia, but hopefully, this had escaped his attention since he did have Adam to deal with right now.

Man-at-Arms looked at the king as he heard him sigh for what seemed like the millionth time. "Are you all right, Sire?"

He nodded. "Yes, Duncan, I'm just a little anxious to get this over with. I want Adam back, and I want Skeletor to pay for his actions. The possibility of not succeeding is driving me crazy, but I know we'll try our best."

"We will succeed, Your Majesty," replied Duncan firmly. "Your plan is a good one. With the Sorceress of Grayskull helping us, blocking anyone's attempts to teleport from the area once the battle begins, assures that we will win."

"If she can do it," countered Randor. He remembered the Sorceress interrupting him while he explained to Man-at-Arms, Teela, and She-Ra what they would be doing during the battle. At first, he had thought she was in the conference room with them, but after looking around, he quickly realized she wasn't. He could admit it: he had been shocked and a little terrified at the Sorceress' actions because no one had ever spoken to him telepathically before, but he quickly got used to it. She made the offer to block any deporting spells in the area, but she did warn that she could only do it for so long, if at all. It was a difficult spell, especially from the distance of Castle Grayskull, but she stated she couldn't do it from anywhere else. The castle was where she was most powerful.

"She'll do it," Man-at-Arms stated confidently; "She has never let Adam or me down in the past, and I don't think she ever will."

Duncan's words did bring him a little comfort. He knew to predict the future one had to look to the past, and if she never failed them with her magical abilities, it was likely she wouldn't this time, as well. And, truthfully, that was the main thing that had bothered him about his plan. He remembered how easily Skeletor and then Hordak and Shadow Weaver had escaped them that very day, and he didn't want that to happen again. To lose them so easily was frustrating and could easily dismay everyone. He suddenly realized how frustrated Adam had to be over the years to run across this scenario again and again. He had heard many tales about Skeletor escaping just in the knick of time. He had even witnessed some occasions.

Sighing again, Randor focused his attention to the screen again. Everyone was in position. He immediately flipped on the AttakTrak's mass communicator and stated, "Everyone is in position. Halt and wait for the final order."

In the distance, he could see Snake Mountain. The Palace Guard had taken the front quadrant and the neighboring kingdoms had taken the side and back ones. Randor had purposely taken the front because he wanted Skeletor to see who had come for him at last. He wanted him to know that when he messed with the Royal Family of Eternos, he messed with the entire planet because he did have what Skeletor so desperately wanted: the ability and power to rule the planet…but he never would. That duty was his and Adam's. Skeletor would never reign over Eternia. Not while he was alive. Not while Adam was alive. They would make sure of it. " _With the help of Castle Grayskull_ ," he thought and then grinned smugly, " _and with its most powerful secrets_."


	46. Working Together

Noticing Adam Chapter 46

Adam crouched low and waited for the moment in which Beastman would decide to attack. As He-Man, he wouldn't have waited—he would have gone right by him by any means necessary without a second thought. But as Adam, he knew he had to be smarter than that. He didn't have superhuman strength or a higher tolerance for pain in this form.

As Beastman grinned sadistically and took a step forward while snarling menacing, a voice rang out from down the hall. "You furry, flea-bitten fool, I'll skin your hide if you thwart my plans!"

"Skeletor!" gasped Beastman as he took a weary step back. "I can explain everything. You see, Prince…"

"Silence!"

At Skeletor's voice, Adam immediately stepped to the side and backed up against the wall, so he could keep his eyes on both of them. Skeletor approached from behind with his Havoc Staff ready in hand.

The villain turned his attention to Adam and after a few moments, he stated, "So impolite, Prince Adam. After we have gone through all of this trouble to give you a little vacation from the palace, you try to leave without even a 'thank you.'"

"Thank you," stated Adam sarcastically as he glared at Skeletor, "but I believe I have overstayed my welcome, so I'll be going now."

Skeletor chuckled and asked coldly, "How are you going to accomplish that? Every exit is covered by one of my men. There is no escape, so it would be in your best interest to follow me to the dungeon where you can join Hordak."

Adam looked at Beastman who stood between him and the exit. He had no intention of willingly following Skeletor, but he suddenly paused. " _Hordak! Of course!_ " he thought. He slouched his shoulders and gave the best defeated look that he could muster. He drew his face downward and kept his eyes to the ground to complete the effect. "I suppose I don't have a choice," he mumbled.

"Indeed you don't," Skeletor replied, merrily. He then turned to Beastman and said, "Stay here, fur-brain. We need to keep a lookout for the rescue party. I have no doubt that they'll be on their way soon."

Adam hoped he'd be out of Snake Mountain before they arrived so a fight wouldn't ensue. He didn't want a repeat of what happened last time: his father's life being in danger, as well as his own.

=)=)=)

King Randor used a pair of Man-at-Arms' binoculars to see the army close around Snake Mountain. There wasn't a gap by air or land where the villains could sneak by. It was completely surrounded. Even the Masters had shown up and spread themselves out amongst the troops. He grinned as he saw Stratos in the air on the other side of Snake Mountain acting as She-Ra's "unofficial lieutenant."

"How do you wish to go about this?" asked Man-at-Arms, interrupting his observations.

He handed Duncan back the binoculars and answered, "We will send a message to Skeletor through the airwaves that he will either release Prince Adam or face the wrath of the Eternian Army."

"I think a more personal note might be better, Your Majesty," replied Man-at-Arms. "Why not save the surprise that the army is here and simply say 'the wrath of King Randor'? I'm sure he will mock such a threat."

Randor immediately grinned and in mock outrage exclaimed, "What? Are you so eager for a fight, Man-at-Arms, that you suggest we withhold the very piece of information that would get him to back down?"

"This fight has been a long time coming, Your Highness. I no longer wish to see it postponed."

They looked at each other and Randor nodded once. "Nor do I," he agreed. "And while I might want to play the villains' game for once and be slightly underhanded, he still has my son. We cannot forget that—this army is here to ensure Adam's safe return, first and foremost. I'm afraid we have no choice but to lay all our cards on the table."

=)=)=)

He followed Skeletor into the dungeon and noticed that Hordak and Shadow Weaver were in two separate cells on opposites sides of the room. "These cages are impenetrable; nothing—no machine or magic—can break them," stated Skeletor with glee.

Adam wished wholeheartedly that he had the Sword of Power. He would have taken great pleasure in proving Skeletor wrong. Regardless, the cage didn't pose a problem if he could get Hordak to agree to work with him. That was the bigger issue…and of course, if Skeletor would even put him in the same cell as Hordak. How could he ensure it?

Adam immediately stopped as they walked by Hordak, who was still frozen from the earlier battle, and glared at him. He made sure that Skeletor noticed his actions. When he was sure he had Skeletor's complete attention, he then walked abruptly to an empty cell and seemingly waited for Skeletor to open it for him.

Skeletor watched the prince's actions with interest. He smiled a little and observed, "Eager to give up your freedom?"

Adam glared at him. "No, I'm just tired of seeing him already, so if you don't mind, let's get this over with."

Skeletor lifted his brow and asked amusedly, "What? Don't you like Hordak?"

"What do you think? He stole my sister and a life we should have had together. I can't stand the sight of him."

Skeletor laughed and replied, "Well, I suppose I should do you a favor, then." When Adam nodded, Skeletor opened Hordak's cell and continued, "I'll give you the opportunity to work through your differences. Isn't that what you do-gooders like to do when you're angry with someone?"

"What?" exclaimed Adam, feigning outrage. "No, you can't!"

"Watch me! Now, get in!" He pointed his Havoc Staff at the prince.

Sighing, Adam walked into the cell and turned to face Skeletor after the cell door closed. "You'll pay for this!" he spat as angrily as he could.

Skeletor merely chuckled more and as he walked off he countered, "I highly doubt that, Prince Adam."

=)=)=)

Adam stared at Hordak and sat down on the floor facing him. He had to admit a lot of what he told Skeletor was true. He did hold a lot of contempt for Hordak. The villain kidnapped Adora and stole a childhood he believed he very much would have enjoyed with his sister. They were so much alike and so close that he felt like their bond would have been even stronger than it was now, as hard as that was to imagine. He knew they would have been inseparable, but he also knew what that would have meant for Etheria's people. They wouldn't have had She-Ra's help in their continuous fight to regain their planet. The good people of Etheria didn't know it, but they owed Hordak a lot of thanks: he had given them their champion. He was sure Hordak would go ballistic if he ever found that out. If Adam knew it wouldn't have such dire consequences, he would have loved to rub it in his face that his cruelty ended up biting him in the butt.

But for now, he had to put all of that aside. He knew without a doubt that when Hordak was able to move again, he would want to seek revenge against Skeletor. His old pupil had betrayed him again, after all, and threw him into the dungeon. He could use that to persuade Hordak to help him.

He shook his head in disbelief. Who would have ever thought he would contemplate working with Hordak? Not him, never in a million years…but here he was, doing exactly that.

After a few more minutes of waiting, finally Hordak started groaning and moving his neck slowly. Adam stood and watched as the Horde leader started to move his body slowly, trying to get the stiffness out. He was aware of Adam's presence and never took his eyes off of him. Once he was able to move freely, Hordak immediately morphed arm into its freeze cannon and pointed it at him. "Well, well, if it isn't Adora's brother!"

Adam immediately held his hands up in gesture to show that he meant Hordak no harm. "Wait! Before you shoot, perhaps you'd like to listen!" he exclaimed, getting down to business. He didn't want to give Hordak the opportunity to freeze him. He'd never get the chance to put his plan into motion, so he didn't have time to approach the subject with any finesse. "I'm sure you'd like to get out of here and make Skeletor pay for imprisoning you."

Hordak paused curiously and replied, "I'm listening."

"I want the same thing. We could work together. Skeletor would never see it coming since he knows the animosity among you and my family members. I know of a way to get out of here, but I need you to help me do it."

Hordak lifted a brow but kept his cannon aimed at him. "Why should I trust you? Besides, why do I even need you to get out of here? You are just a foolish Eternian, after all."

Adam bit back a scathing reply about Eternians being smart enough to have defeated him. He swallowed it and replied, "As much as I dislike you, Skeletor is our common enemy and right now, we both have the same needs. If we want to get out, we have to work together. I know how to do it, and you have the ability." He motioned his head to the bars of the cell. "Skeletor said no spell or machine can free us."

Hordak glanced at the bars and recognized that it was made from the same bones that Skeletor had imprisoned him with once before. The only reason they had gotten out then was because Shadow Weaver had been there and the combination of machinery and magic had cut through the bars. He noted quickly that Shadow Weaver was not with him now. "The only way we can get out of here is if you have magic," he stated, looking at Adam inquisitively. "Your sister never showed any signs of that, so I highly doubt you do."

He shook his head. "No, I don't have magic, but I do have knowledge. Skeletor is unaware that I have it, and it can lead us to freedom…if we agree to work together."

"What is stopping you from betraying me?"

"What's stopping you? You know who I am—you know I am a man of my word. I'm sure you've heard that much about me. I promise I will not attack you." Adam knew it wasn't enough to get Hordak to agree to work with him, so he searched his brain frantically and quickly added, "As a matter of fact, I'll go so far as to say that I will owe you one."

That immediately got Hordak's attention. He grinned and stated disbelievingly, "So, you're offering to do something for me in exchange for us working together now."

Adam nodded in agreement. "Yes, but there are a few exceptions: whatever you want cannot relate to Adora. I will not hand her over to you; I will not trick her or her friends to be captured; and I will not work with you against her. Oh, and I won't hand Eternia over to you in any way, shape, or form either… and I won't hurt its people."

"Then, what good are you?"

"I'm sure you will be able to come up with something. Deal or no deal? If you disagree, we can stay here and wait it out. The probability of my father, He-Man, or She-Ra coming for me is high. Then you and Skeletor will be our prisoners. I just don't want to wait for Skeletor to decide it's time to kill me before reinforcements arrive."

Hordak stared at Adam for a few moments longer.

Adam gritted his teeth as he watched the man contemplate his request. He suddenly snapped, "You owe me after taking my twin from me! I'm only asking you to help get us out of here!"

"Okay," he mumbled. "We'll work together, but only until we're free. Just remember, you owe me a favor." When Adam nodded in acquiesce, he then stated, "By the way, and I'm sure you already know this, it was never my intention to take Adora from you—I wanted you both." Adam felt a chill run down his spine at Hordak's words and the sinister look he gave him, but the prince quickly shrugged it off as the villain said, "Tell me what you know."

=)=)=)

Skeletor walked back into his throne room in time to hear a recognizable voice coming from a speaker in his council table. "King Randor to Skeletor, King Randor to Skeletor…"

He quickly rushed over to the controls and exclaimed, "King Randor! What a pleasant surprise!"

"I'm sure it's not—I believe you have something that belongs to me."

Skeletor chuckled amusedly and replied, "I don't have something, but I have someone. The question is how badly you want him back."

"Very," the king answered. "Almost to the point of desperation."

"Good, good! Then, perhaps we should get down to business. I want you to hand over the Royal Palace and the Guard to me! If you agree, I will let Prince Adam go. There is a catch, though; you will have to remain my prisoner." He was prepared for the silence that he knew would develop at his proposition.

Surprisingly, there wasn't even a hesitation in the reply. "No deal, Skeletor."

He was shocked. "What? The King of Eternia is unwilling to trade his freedom for his son's?"

Randor chuckled and answered, "No, I have a counteroffer, one you very much want to hear."

"I'm waiting."

With a voice that held no fear or uncertainty, Randor replied, "As we speak, the Eternian Army surrounds Snake Mountain. If you let Adam go and promise to never go after him again, we will leave peacefully. If I do not see him being released within ten minutes, you will be the one responsible for the actions we will have to undertake today. I promise it won't turn out so well for you."

"What?" cried Skeletor. He flipped on his viewscreen in the center of his council table and scanned around Snake Mountain. Sure enough, the army was there in greater numbers than he would have thought. Feeling completely flabbergasted by Randor's unexpected actions, he asked, "Isn't this a little drastic for you, Randor?"

The king spoke firmly. "You have been more drastic in your efforts, so I must respond in kind. I will take no chances on Adam's safe return, as you can see. If you do not release him or if you hurt him in any way, you will force me to destroy Snake Mountain…and everything that stands in our way."

For once, Skeletor knew Randor meant his threat—he didn't doubt it for a second. It was always a risky business messing with someone's children, because the opponent became unpredictable, just as the King of Eternia had just proven. Randor had never willingly sought out a fight before, but when it came to Adam, Skeletor now knew he would. He knew he had to rethink his plan. He couldn't do it if he no longer had Snake Mountain and his men. "I will release him," he spat, knowing he had no other choice.

"You have ten minutes."

Skeletor ran from the room to go to the dungeon. As he went, he mourned the loss of his plan—he found the anticlimactic resolution to everything depressing, so he knew he had to think of another one. After all, he didn't agree to Randor's terms. He only agreed that he would let Adam go. Everything else was still on the table—he just had to get the army to back down and go away before he could strike again.

=)=)=)

Adam pointed to the floor beneath them and said, "Years ago, after you left for Etheria, Skeletor enlisted the help of one of our allies Zanthor to help him steal items called the Golden Disks of Knowledge. With the information learned from those disks, he turned your Horde base into Snake Mountain, among many other things. In any case, Skeletor wanted to stop us from getting those disks back, so he hid them far below Snake Mountain." He looked to where he was pointing. "He-Man and Zanthor got the disks back eventually, but the story does help us anyway."

Hordak furrowed his brow. "How?"

"We can't get through the bars, but we know there isn't only dirt beneath us. There is a cavern that stretches beneath Snake Mountain. You have the ability to dig quickly when you turn your legs into a drill—I know you have that capability. We can get out of here."

"So, there is another room underneath us. How does that help us escape? We don't know where to go after we get there."

"I know the way out," replied the prince.

When Hordak raised one eyebrow in question, he explained, "Skeletor doesn't know it, but I've been down there…with He-Man. We'll have a problem getting back to the surface, but I can lead us away from Snake Mountain. I'm sure you can take it from there with your capabilities."

Hordak stared at Adam smugly and asked, "Why do I need you? I can search the cavern and find my way out alone."

Adam smiled; he wasn't worried in the slightest. "Skeletor has a large pet down there. Let's just say there is a reason why this place is called Snake Mountain. I know where the snake is and how to avoid its location, but if you want to roam about under there without my knowledge, then freeze me and go. Take your chances…Besides, you still want that favor from me, right?"

Hordak grumbled and said, "Fine. Let's go." He quickly turned his lower body into the drill and plowed through the surface. Eventually, he dropped from the ceiling and turned into his rocket form to catch himself.

Adam looked down the hole and worried for a second that Hordak would leave him, but his temporary ally immediately made his way back to him and said gruffly, "Get on."

Surprised at the offer, because he hadexpected Hordak to make him find his own way down, he climbed on. Quickly, they descended to the lower level. Hordak turned back into his normal form and immediately followed Adam after the prince said, "This way."

=)=)=)

Skeletor ran to the elevator and quickly made his way to the dungeon. He didn't have a lot of time since Randor had only given him ten minutes to release Adam. He still hadn't come up with a plan, but he had all the time in the world for that if he stopped the Eternian Army now. The only problem he had now was getting Adam out without releasing Hordak.

When the elevator door opened, he quickly ran to the cell. "Well, it looks like you'll be leaving after all, Prince…" His words stopped dead when he saw no one was in the cage. "What?" he gasped. He looked down at the floor and saw the large hole. "No!" he yelled. He started to use his Havoc Staff to lower himself to the next level of his home but stopped himself. He had around five minutes left to give Adam to Randor. He wouldn't have enough time. He quickly looked into his Havoc Staff which started to glow. "King Randor," he said hurriedly.

"Skeletor?" questioned the king.

"It seems we have a slight problem. Hordak has escaped with Adam, so you see, I cannot give him to you as we have planned. Maybe…"

King Randor's voice boomed throughout the room even though he wasn't in there. "YOU HAVE FOUR MINUTES TO BRING HIM TO ME! HORDAK COULD NOT GET PAST US, SO YOU FIND HIM AND BRING ME MY SON OR ELSE!"

Skeletor cut off the communication and stared at his Havoc Staff in amazement. "Boy, he can get unreasonable," he mumbled. He quickly lowered himself down to the next level and started running away from Snake Mountain. He knew in order for one of them to have known about this level, they had to know how to get out from under the mountain, as well.

=)=)=)

King Randor shook his head as he and Duncan got back out of the AttakTrak. Skeletor's news didn't bring him any comfort. "What if Hordak decides to leave with Adam?" he questioned. "I can't lose another child like that."

Duncan replied comfortingly, "Randor, Adora knows the way to the Fright Zone. We would get Adam back even if that did happen."

He looked around at the army and countered, "But what if he goes elsewhere? He left with Adora to a place where we couldn't find him. What if he does the same with Adam?"

"Why would he?" reasoned Duncan. "Adora was a baby and he had plans to raise her so he could control her. Adam is a young man who is not so easily influenced."

"There is always magic," he whispered fretfully.

"Magic Adora broke, and she broke it after years of it having a hold on her," he whispered back. "Don't forget your son is He-Man. He's stronger than you think even as Adam. He-Man is a part of him, not the other way around."

Randor stared him dead in the eye and said, "That is comforting, Duncan, but I believe Adam is the strongest when he has his sword." He pulled it from the scabbard at his waist and continued, "And, I have it."

Duncan rested a hand on his shoulder comfortingly, even though the king couldn't feel it through his armor. "We'll get Adam back. They could not have found a way around us. They didn't even know to avoid us! They're in Snake Mountain somewhere. We should continue with our plan. Skeletor will find them and return Adam to us safely if he wants to save himself, so we should stay the course."

Randor nodded and agreed, "I had every intention of doing that. It's just that I can't help but worry. It seems like every time things seem to go our way, something comes up that throws us for a loop."

Duncan had made the same observation a long time ago.

Suddenly, the AttakTrak spoke, shocking everyone nearby. "Your Majesty, ten minutes is up."

King Randor took a deep breath and stared at Snake Mountain. His heart pounded heavily as he recognized that he had to follow through with his threat—there was no way to avoid it. He had to keep his promise or Skeletor would think that he would always back down in the future. Even though he understood that Skeletor would have given Adam to him if he had him, he remembered that the villain had brought all of this on himself, so he would give him no sympathy.

He lifted his wrist to his mouth and spoke into the communicator. "Front lines, approach Snake Mountain with caution. Take every enemy you find prisoner if you can, but do what you must. Prince Adam has not been released, so we must take him back."

He closed his eyes briefly as he brought his arm down. He then glanced over at Duncan and said, "Let's lead our troops." They got into the AttakTrak and got ahead of the entire fleet of the Royal Guard. The battle had begun.

=)=)=)

Adam and Hordak walked speedily for several minutes and finally stopped when they saw a wall in the distance. The prince grinned at his companion, ran to it quickly, and sighed in relief as he looked at the ceiling above him. He exclaimed, "We're no longer under Snake Mountain! If we can find a way to the surface, we're free!"

Hordak nodded and immediately turned his entire body into a drill that had rocket boosters at his feet. He flew to the ceiling and made a hole big enough for them to escape through. Just as he descended to retrieve Adam, a voice rang out, "Not so fast, old friend! I must say I'm shocked to see you working with our enemies!"

"What?" yelled Hordak, turning into his regular form. "You treacherous, turncoat, two-faced villain! You dare to talk about my working with our enemies when you threw me into the dungeon with one!" He immediately morphed his arm into his stun cannon and shot at him.

Adam sighed and shook his head. "Here we go again," he muttered, knowing he had to do something to get out of here. If what he saw at Snake Mountain had any indication on what was about to transpire, this cavern was about to collapse on top of them once the fireworks started. Adam looked at the ceiling and saw that the hole Hordak had made was close to two of the walls of the cavern. The wall to his right was rocky enough that he could possibly climb it. He knew he had to be careful since beams from Skeletor and Hordak would undoubtedly go his way unintentionally, but he had no other choice.

He set about climbing, and sure enough, the cavern was illuminated by shots of stun beams and freeze rays. The sounds bounced off the walls with booming force and Adam found himself cringing every time a blast came close to him, which occurred several times.

Watching Hordak and Skeletor every so often as he climbed, he made his way to the opening. Once he was at the ceiling, he stared at the hole wondering how in the world he was going to get through it. He held onto the wall with one hand, used his legs to push himself outward and reached toward the hole with the other. He felt around until he found something he could grip thoroughly. He then released his hold on the wall and his body swung directly underneath the hole.

Holding himself up with only one hand was difficult, especially with the violent jerks of propelling his body underneath the hole. Regardless, he held on and quickly brought his other hand up to assist the other. Soon, Adam found himself climbing up the hole. He could see light in the distance and once again he was overwhelmed with the feeling that if he could just get outside, he would be okay.

In less than a minute, Adam popped his head out and used his arms to pull his torso from the ground. Just when he thought he had leverage to pull himself completely out, he heard a loud noise approaching. He looked up and saw an AttakTrak heading right towards him. "TRAK!" he yelled, "STOP!" With his frantic instinctive movements to get out of the way of the vehicle, Adam slipped back into the hole.

Suddenly, a cry was heard that was not his own as his fingers slipped and he dropped back down the hole even more. He tried to catch himself but found the task difficult. Just as he thought he might fall back to the ground completely and probably die as a result, two arms grabbed onto one of his.

"Adam!"

He looked up into his eyes of King Randor and felt immense and intense relief. "Father!" he exclaimed with a brief smile. "Boy, am I glad to see you!"

Randor spared him a grin of his own briefly and replied, "And, I'm glad to see you. Now, we just have to get you out of here." He turned his head so his mouth could somewhat face behind him. "Duncan, get a rope and people together so we can pull Adam up! He's down here! Hurry!"

He then turned back to his son and tears immediately gathered in his eyes. "I've got you, son," he assured him. "I'm not going to let you go…ever!"

Adam smiled again, knowing that the king was talking about more than just not letting go at that particular moment. "I know," he replied.

The king started pulling on Adam, trying to raise him back to the surface, and just when they started to make some leeway and Adam got to a place where he could use his arms to climb again, the prince suddenly dropped back down and a strangled yell escaped his lips.

Randor immediately latched onto his son's arm again and exclaimed, "Adam, what's wrong?"

He looked worried and answered, "Someone's pulling on me!" He looked down and saw Hordak, with his lower body in rocket form.

"You're free, so our truce has come to an end! You're coming with me!" Hordak started pulling on Adam again and Randor pulled on him in the opposite direction. Unfortunately, the king wasn't as strong as Hordak in his rocket form, so they both started to slip down the hole.

Regardless, Randor refused to let his son go. "Man-at-Arms!" he yelled. "Help us!"

=)=)=)

When Skeletor and Hordak had been fighting down below, they realized a lot sooner than last time that Adam was missing. When Hordak had briefly looked around and questioned where the prince was, they stopped, looked up, and saw rocks falling from the hole above them.

"Urgh!" Skeletor hollered in frustration. "The Prince of Eternia is mine! I need him!"

Hordak looked at his old pupil with interest and replied, "Oh, really? Then, I suppose there's a good reason as to why! That's why you'll never get him!" Turning into body into rocket form, he shot into the hole to seemingly go after the prince.

"Argh! Oh, yes, I will!" cried Skeletor. He quickly used his Havoc Staff to go to the surface and get Adam from the other side.

When Skeletor arrived, he saw a sight too wonderful to ignore. The Eternian Army was nearby and Man-at-Arms was running towards them and that infuriating She-Ra who was above them on that horse of hers. That wasn't the good sight, but the next thing he noticed was: Randor currently had most of his body in a hole and was going downward. The king was undoubtedly trying to get his son. With his eyes only on the scene before him, he contemplated on what he could do to take advantage of the situation. After all, if he had King Randor, the army would have to stop their march on Snake Mountain, and if he was lucky, he would end up with both the prince and the king. Oh, what could he do if he could make that happen!

With a laugh of glee, Skeletor started making his way to the unknowing Randor.

=)=)=)


	47. Saving Adam

Noticing Adam Chapter 47

Teela couldn't believe it was actually happening! For years, many of her brothers and sisters-in-arms questioned why King Randor had never simply marched on Snake Mountain with the Eternian Army and conquered Skeletor's forces. They were so few in number in comparison. She knew the answer, and even though some didn't understand it, she did: King Randor was a man of peace. If there was a way to resolve a problem without fighting, he would take that route. It's what made him such a great king. He never involved his kingdom in a war if he could stop it, and he always tried his best to stop all conflicts throughout the entire planet. Until now, they had been successful for the most part. Skeletor got his hits every once in a while, but at the end of the day, He-Man and the kingdom had their final say without any bloodshed.

Skeletor forced the king's hand this time. He had upped the ante, so to speak, and she knew King Randor felt cornered, especially since the villain decided to play his game with Adam instead of the king directly. She couldn't say she was happy that she was finally getting the opportunity to take Skeletor down once and for all, because she was scared Adam would get hurt in the process. She couldn't bear the thought of him spending yet another night in the infirmary. She'd do whatever it took to keep that from happening.

As she rode in the back of the AttakTrak, she charged up every freeze ray and stun gun that she could find. She didn't know if they would be needed since every man and woman was already carrying a weapon, but she had to do something to pass the time. Thinking about Adam being in their enemies' clutches once again and remembering that Skeletor had already tried to kill him once was too much to contemplate before the battle. She couldn't imagine a future without Adam; she didn't think she could go on if that happened, so she understood his father's motivation now.

As she placed another stun gun on the charger after another had finished, the AttakTrak slammed to a screeching halt and she found herself being flung onto the floorboard.

"ADAM!" she heard the king yell.

Quickly, she followed her father and the king outside the vehicle. She scanned the land hurriedly to spot him and didn't see anything until she noticed the king diving and sliding into a hole frantically. He stuck his body half way inside and she heard muffled words being spoken.

Her father and she ran to the king, and she immediately felt relief and angst simultaneously when she heard Adam's voice. Just as she was about to ask Adam if he was all right, she heard the king's command to get rope and people to help pull Adam up. Man-at-Arms looked at her, pointed to the AttakTrak, and yelled, "Rope!"

She nodded and ran to the back of the vehicle. She opened the back door, jumped inside, and rummaged through the guns she had sprawled out everywhere. "Rope, rope, rope!" she kept muttering to herself until she finally found some. "Ah ha!" she exclaimed. She looked up through the windshield to see how the king was doing and immediately gasped. Skeletor! She saw him heading towards the king and there wasn't a soul in sight to protect him. The king, himself, was unaware that danger was approaching. Luckily, Skeletor didn't know she was so close!

Stealthily but quickly, she grabbed a freeze ray, got out, and made her way to the front of the vehicle. She aimed her gun carefully and didn't care that she wasn't giving Skeletor a sporting chance to fight her—he had hurt Adam one too many times and she had the chance to stop him, so she was going to take it. She shot.

Skeletor never saw it coming. He was reaching down to do something…she didn't know what, but she decided it was either to grab King Randor or to push him inside. Regardless, she stopped him! They had Skeletor!

=)=)=)

King Randor struggled to hold onto Adam as Hordak pulled on his son's legs. He could see Hordak, but he didn't know what to do. There was no way for him to stop the other from this end, and with him fighting to keep Adam out of the villain's clutches, he knew he wouldn't have the opportunity to do anything anyway.

Hordak increased the power to his rocket boosters and Adam immediately moved several feet downward. Adam dug his fingers into the dirt that surrounded them but knew the wall would break away soon enough with all the pressure they were putting on it. As for Randor, he was teetering on the edge of the hole with his stomach, struggling desperately to keep a foundation where he could hold onto Adam without falling completely inside the hole himself.

Adam looked into his father's eyes as they slipped a little farther and whispered calmly, "It's okay, Father. Let me go."

Randor was aghast. "What?"

"We can't stop him right now, and we can't stay here forever either. We're simply delaying the inevitable, and I don't want to take you with me. "

Tears flooded the king's eyes and he stated fiercely, "I'm not letting you go through this alone again! I told you I'm not ever letting you go, and I mean that!"

Adam grimaced and whispered, "I'm sorry."

At that moment, Adam started to bring his fingers out of the holes that he had made. He was going to simply let Hordak have him!

"NO!" yelled Randor. He looked around frantically, let go of one of Adam's arms, held onto the other one tightly—almost to the point of cutting off circulation—and slid back up the embankment so that he was only holding Adam by the wrist as the prince let go of his grip on the wall with that one hand.

" _What is he doing_?" thought Adam as he saw him reaching for something at his waist. Suddenly, he saw it. His father was making enough room to bring out a sword. When Randor moved back down, he saw that it was the Sword of Power clutched firmly in his hand.

Adam widened his eyes and resumed holding himself up with both hands. The determined glare he saw in the king's eyes told him that his father had something planned and it just might save them!

He continued to watch as his father stared at the figure below. He could see the wheels turning in Randor's mind and he was too afraid to speak to break his concentration. "I need a way to hold on," the king mumbled.

Adam was about to lose hope again and resume letting go to save his father when suddenly a rope came down the hole. "Your Majesty! Adam! Here's the rope you need!"

He had never been so happy in his life to hear her voice and Randor had never been more grateful.

"Teela," said Adam with a smile despite his struggle not to fall.

Randor once again moved up a little and commanded, "Captain, tie the rope around my waist."

"What?" she asked.

"Just do it!"

She quickly did as asked and Randor said, "Hold on to me and find a way to not let us fall. There's going to be a lot of weight, and I need to move down farther. Let me go until I tell you to pull us up. Do you understand?"

"Yes," she said, looking to see if she could find something to assist her in holding the king and Adam up and eventually retrieving them. With relief, she saw that her father, She-Ra, and the Guard were heading her way from a distance.

The king quickly allowed himself to slip farther down the hole and Randor said to Adam, "Keep holding on!"

Soon, his father was very close to him. The king's head slipped by his going downward, and there was just enough room where Adam could glance down to see what was happening below him despite his father making things more compact. Hordak was still struggling to hold onto him and he was wiggling him back and forth constantly to try to jar him lose from the wall. The villain was doing a good job, because Adam could barely hold on with the motions of his lower body.

He watched curiously as his father extended the Power Sword. He suddenly knew what he had planned!

Randor paused and seemed to be waiting for the right moment.

Adam looked down again and saw the problem: he was getting in the way. Every time Randor wanted to surge forward, his son's leg would get in the sword's path, thanks to Hordak's movements. He looked back at his father and stated firmly, "Just do it!"

Randor glanced back up and met his gaze. "I don't want to cut you."

"Just do it! We can handle that later if you hit me!"

Taking a deep breath, the king nodded and said a silent prayer. Suddenly, he lurched forward and stabbed the sword downward.

Adam cried out in pain as the sword slid by his leg and cut into the skin.

"I'm sorry, son!" Randor exclaimed and began to pull back.

"No!" Adam yelled. "Do it!"

Randor moved forward again and cringed at Adam's sounds of pain.

Because Hordak was laughing heavily and moving around so much, the Hordesman didn't see the King of Eternia until it was too late. Randor drove the sword downward and stuck it firmly into Hordak's arm where he had a hold of Adam.

Hordak was so surprised that he let Adam go, his rocket boosters turned themselves off, and he fell to the ground.

"PULL US UP!" Randor yelled and Adam repeated the order up the hole.

Quickly, they found themselves rising back to surface at a high rate of speed. Randor moved his body upward as they were being pulled, caught Adam under his arms with his, and held onto him as best he could even though he couldn't wrap the arm that held the Sword of Power around him like he wished he could. Regardless, it was enough.

Randor quickly found himself on the surface and finished pulling Adam up the rest of the way. The king didn't let go once they were on level ground. Instead, he dropped the Sword of Power, slipped his arms around his son's back, and held onto him tightly. "Son, I was so worried!" he exclaimed as Adam hugged him back.

"I was, too," he replied.

Almost instantly, She-Ra dropped the rope she had obviously been pulling with Teela and several other guards to run to Adam. She got behind him, dropped to her knees, and threw her arms around both of them. "I'm so glad to see you!"

Adam widened his eyes at her actions since a lot of soldiers that weren't in the know were present. "I'm glad to see you, too, _She-Ra_." He put emphasis on her name to remind her that she couldn't act like his sister right now. Otherwise, she would give the guards the impression that She-Ra and he had something going on.

Quickly, she pulled away and mumbled apologies, which he shook his head at. "It's okay," he whispered back.

Randor watched this with a smile on his face. "I don't know how I missed it; it's so obvious," he whispered. The siblings knew he was referring to their secret.

The king then stood and extended his hand to his son. Adam took it, but as soon as Randor pulled him to his feet, he let out a hiss of pain as his weight shifted onto his legs.

"What's wrong?" She-Ra and Teela asked worriedly.

Teela scanned her eyes down his body and then exclaimed, "Adam, you're bleeding!"

"It's not that bad," he said, looking down at the leg and then abruptly bit his lip. It actually did look pretty bad. A lot of blood had soaked into his pants and over his boots, turning the white bright red and the purple almost black.

Randor immediately slipped his arm around his shoulders with every intention of helping Adam get to the AttakTrak, but paused when he saw Skeletor. "We got him?" he gasped.

Teela smiled. "Yes, he was about to attack you when you were helping Adam, so I shot him. He never saw me coming."

Adam grinned mischievously and bragged, "That's my girl."

Teela blushed instantly, and Adam and Randor laughed merrily for a moment before making their way to the back of the AttakTrak for Man-at-Arms to take a look at Adam's leg. Teela and She-Ra followed behind quickly.

=)=)=)

Man-at-Arms grimaced along with Adam as he pulled back his pants from the wound on his leg. The tight-fitting apparel had actually acted as a tourniquet to decrease the flow of blood, so when he pulled the material away it stung a little. As more blood oozed out, Teela gasped and Randor sat on the back of the AttakTrak beside him and whispered, "I'm sorry, son."

"It's okay," he said as he watched Man-at-Arms try to bandage it as best as he could with the supplies they had handy. Just as he was about to say something else, Teela's lieutenant walked up and asked, "What are your orders, Your Majesty?"

The king hesitated. He had Adam back—he had accomplished what he had wanted…but the truth was he wanted to go farther. Despite the fact that they had Skeletor, he wanted to teach all of them a lesson they would never forget. But was that the right thing to do? He knew he got a little crazy when people messed with his kids, and Hordak had basically caused him to hurt Adam himself. He glanced at his son and asked, "What do you think, Adam? Should we go home or march forward?"

Everyone turned their attention to the prince, and he was shocked his father would leave the decision up to him. Regardless, he knew what he wanted to do. He grinned and answered, "March forward."

The lieutenant grinned and ran to tell the others. Once all the soldiers had marched a good piece ahead of them, Adam stopped Man-at-Arms from finishing the bandages. "Stop, Duncan, I don't need it."

"What?" they asked.

Adam then stared at his father and said, "At least, I don't think I do."

They stared at each other for a moment and it suddenly dawned on his father what he was referring to. "Wait right here," he replied.

The king walked back to the hole and picked up the Sword of Power where he had dropped it. He held it in his hand, stared at it for a moment, and then nodded to himself.

It was the right thing to do.

He went to the back of the AttakTrak and held it in both hands: one hand was on the hilt and the other was holding the blade. He stared at it a bit more before meeting Adam's eyes with his. "When I first learned your secret, I wanted to protect you from all of this." He looked around to bring his point home. "But I realize you've been doing this for two years and I know you have done an admirable job as Eternia's Champion. I can only hope that you will forgive me for not recognizing you like a father should have. I also hope you forgive me for trying to take control and stop you from doing what we both know to be right." He stopped for a second, stepped forward, and grabbed his son's shoulder firmly. "I'm proud of you, son. You'll make a fine king one day."

Tears shimmered in the prince's eyes, but he didn't let them fall since they had an audience. "I'll never be better than you, Father." he replied. "I'll never be a better king or a father."

"Yes, you will," Randor insisted with a smile. "You're already a better prince than I was, so it'll happen." He grinned and looked at the Sword of Power one more time. "I think I have something that belongs to you."

He held it out to its rightful owner and Adam took it. He glanced at She-Ra for a moment, winked, and then stood. He limped away from everyone, turned around, and said, "I think He-Man has some pent up emotions he needs to take out on Snake Mountain."

Everyone nodded and watched intently as Adam raised his sword and yelled, "By the Power of Grayskull!

 

=)=)=)

Randor watched in amazement and almost had to shield his eyes from the lightning and shocks that enveloped his child. When his son yelled out "I have the power!" in a voice he had known so well, it was strange to find it now so foreign. He stared at He-Man and saw Adam, so he couldn't juxtapose the image he had of He-Man in the past and the one standing before him now. The old He-Man seemed gone and forgotten, but that did make sense, because _that_ He-Man had been an illusion, but the one standing before him now—his son—that He-Man was real even if it would take him a while to get used to that voice coming from his son.

The king found himself smiling and wiped at his eyes to prevent more tears from falling. "That was incredible," he said to He-Man.

He-Man nodded and glanced down at his leg. Randor also looked down and He-Man turned it to the side where the king could see that no cut was visible. "I suspect the cut will no longer be there when I turn back into Adam," he shared. He grinned at his father and explained, "Recently, my injuries as He-Man and Adam had stayed with me because I was burned out or it was so extensive—I don't know—but thanks to all the rest I've gotten and She-Ra, I have a feeling He-Man is back to his old self. Once I change back into Adam again, I think he will be, too."

Randor shook his head and squeezed the hero's hand. "No, I think that Adam is a thing of the past. I have a feeling things are going to be very different from this point forward."

He-Man acknowledged his father's comment with a nod and then turned his attention to Snake Mountain. He pursed his lips for a moment before turning to the king and said, "I made the threat to Skeletor once, but I think I really want to do it now."

"What's that, son?"

He-Man got a huge Adam-like grin on his face as he replied, "Let's turn Snake Mountain into Snake Valley!"


	48. The Attack on Snake Mountain

Noticing Adam Chapter 48

With a determined look, He-Man took several steps toward Snake Mountain but immediately stopped when his father's voice rang out, "There is an easier way to do that, He-Man. You do realize we have the entire Eternian Army with us, right? One word from me or Prince Adam and our artillery will decimate Skeletor's entire base."

He-Man turned around and nodded. "I do realize that, sire, but first, I need to make sure every animal and person is out of there. I refuse to hurt any living creature trying to teach Skeletor and his goons a lesson.

He-Man had spoken like the hero the king knew so well…and so much like his son. Randor still couldn't believe he hadn't figured it out before now. He almost felt angry with himself as the similarities between Adam and He-Man kept getting thrown in his face, but he would deal with that later. For now, he turned towards Man-at-Arms and extended his hand. Duncan passed him his spear and the king said spiritedly, "Then, let's go!"

He took a step forward to get started, but He-Man immediately replied, "You don't have to do that, Your Majesty. She-Ra, Man-at-Arms, Teela, and I can handle the search just fine on our own."

The king lowered his eyes slightly and stepped closer to He-Man. Whispering, he said, "I suspect I won't have many opportunities to fight along side my son, so I'd like to take advantage of this if you would let me. I enjoyed the last time we fought together—it would have been even better if I had realized it was you who had my back."

He-Man's face relaxed and he smiled warmly at the king. It was a look of true affection that left Randor gasping. Adam hadn't looked at him like that since he had been a small boy. "I'd like that, too," relented He-Man.

Randor stood beside his son hardly believing that after everything they had been through, they were there together and actually enjoying one another's company despite the task at hand. He hated to admit it to himself, but he knew that even though they had always loved one another, they hadn't always liked to be around each other. When he used to look at Adam, he had seen a boy who wouldn't take his responsibilities seriously. He had seen a boy who needed to grow up, a boy who didn't want to change.

Once again, feelings of self-loathing threatened to overwhelm him. Much to his dismay, Adam had never been the one that needed to change. " _I was the one who needed to change_ ," he thought depressingly. He glanced at He-Man again and the hero immediately reached a hand out and placed it on his shoulder.

"Don't be too hard on yourself," He-Man ordered; "I hid the truth from you. You saw and thought what I wanted you to. It's not your fault."

His son knew him well—He-Man knew instinctively what his father had been thinking. And as it turned out, Randor realized he didn't know the man beside him like he once thought he did. He thought he knew Adam, but clearly he didn't know anything besides his good nature.

Randor reached a hand up and placed it over his son's which was still clutching his shoulder in comfort. "When this is over," he stated resolutely, "I want to spend time together, lots and lots of time together. I want to make up for lost time. I want to know who you truly are." He paused. "If that's okay with you."

He-Man grinned and replied, "That's more than okay with me, Father. I'd like that very much." After taking a deep breath, he glanced at the others who were grinning at him and said, "All right, let's empty Snake Mountain."

=)=)=)

His groans echoed throughout the caverns beneath Snake Mountain. Hordak woke up and looked around at his surroundings. For a moment, he didn't know where he was or what had happened, but then he remembered. He had almost taken Prince Adam prisoner and kept Skeletor from getting his hands on him when that meddlesome King Randor attacked him!

He looked down at his arm and winced at the wound which still bled. The sword had pierced his arm and went through to the other side. Not knowing if it were possible, he tried to morph his arm into something that wouldn't bleed. It worked. As soon as he changed his arm into his freeze cannon, the pain ceased. He moaned in relief and immediately stood.

He glanced at the hole above him and wondered what he should do. He immediately decided that he wouldn't go up there, at least in that location. The Eternian Army was surrounding the area, so his best bet was to return to Snake Mountain.

He transformed his entire body into his rocket form and flew through the cavern at a high rate of speed. He didn't have a moment to lose. He realized his best bet to escape and get back to Etheria was to rescue Shadow Weaver. Then, once he gathered more troops, he would be back to make King Randor and Prince Adam pay for their actions! And, Skeletor!

=)=)=)

King Randor took a number of troops from each kingdom's army to accompany him and the others inside Snake Mountain. He didn't want to take too many of his own guard, because they still wanted to secure the area around Snake Mountain and catch any of the villains who may flee and get past them.

As they entered the lair through the passageway hidden by the waterfall, He-Man immediately checked out the location where Beastman had hidden earlier. He didn't want any surprises this time now that his father was with him.

At Randor's questioning look, he explained, "I almost escaped earlier before you saved me. Beastman had hidden here and surprised me before Skeletor showed up."

The king nodded and they all crept carefully down the hall to the location where the elevator and staircases were present. He-Man showed them the secret one he had escaped through earlier and they broke into groups. "I want everyone to be extremely careful and keep up with everyone in your group," Randor said; "Our job is to secure the building and make sure no one is left inside."

"Yes, Your Majesty," the soldiers replied simultaneously. When Randor dismissed them, the groups separated and went to search the locations they were assigned.

"And, what are we to do?" Randor asked, fearing that He-Man hadn't given them an area to search because he had tagged along.

Without noticing his father's worry, He-Man went to the staircase and answered, "We're going to Skeletor's throne room. I know he isn't there, but I'm willing to bet in his absence someone, probably Evil-Lyn, has taken over and they're planning what move to make next."

He-Man looked at his own group which consisted of his normal partners: She-Ra, Man-at-Arms, and Teela. With the addition of his father, he had a feeling they'd be unstoppable. "Let's go," he stated and began to make his way up the stairs. He narrowed his brow as he concentrated on being hyper-vigilant as they moved through the mountain. There was no telling what they would come across.

When they finally got to Skeletor's throne room, they paused and listened to the ruckus going on inside:

Evil-Lyn hollered, "Where is he? He was taking Prince Adam to the dungeon and we haven't heard from him in hours!"

Two-Face replied, "Maybe King Randor captured him. Maybe the rescue party is here and we don't know it."

"King Randor?" spat Evil-Lyn, "That old geezer couldn't catch a fly! He can't even protect his own son or himself! It's far more likely Skeletor is fighting with Hordak again."

"Wrong, Evil-Lyn!" stated He-Man proudly as he walked into the room and placed his hands on his hips.

"He-Man!" exclaimed the room's occupants worriedly.

"But you're supposed to be hurt!" Beastman added with a gasp.

"Wrong again, Beastman! Now, I'm only going to say this once, so listen carefully. I'm giving you the option to leave here peacefully. Otherwise, my friends and I will take you prisoner."

"Friends?" questioned Evil-Lyn, smugly. "What friends?"

When She-Ra, Man-at-Arms, Teela, and King Randor walked into the room, she laughed and replied sarcastically, "Are they supposed to scare me, He-Man?"

King Randor moved to stand beside his son. "No, but the army outside just might," he boasted.

"What?" the others questioned worriedly.

"Don't listen to him," snapped Evil-Lyn. "He's lying! He's never brought an army to Snake Mountain before, so why would he now?"

Teela stepped forward and stood on the other side of He-Man. "Then, why don't you check your view screen, you witch!"

Without taking her eyes off of the trespassers, she backed up to the broken table that still miraculously worked and did as Teela suggested. When she saw the army, she gasped. "They're telling the truth," she shouted to the others.

Now, She-Ra stepped forward. "So, the question now is how you want to handle this? The hard way or the easy way? And, just so you know, I hope it's the hard way. I want a little payback for how all of you have treated my brother."

He-Man smiled at her and said, "Thanks, sis!"

"Don't mention it, brother," she replied.

Everyone stood still for a moment and everyone could have heard a pin drop if it had happened. Evil-Lyn took in her surroundings and the people in the room. The troops outside well outnumbered them, but they outnumbered the people in this room. It was a risk to fight them now only to be captured later, but they'd be captured in any circumstance if they went outside peacefully. Deciding to take the one chance they had which led to freedom, she screamed, "Get them, you fools!"

As soon as those words were uttered, He-Man hunkered down and waited for the villains to rush at them. When he crouched down, he caught several in his hands and threw them into the others. Stinkor got passed him, but with a quick pop on the head with the side of King Randor's staff, he was out cold within moments.

He-Man smiled at his father momentarily before looking back at Evil-Lyn. "Do you give up?"

Evil-Lyn laughed and said, "Fool, you may be able to juggle these idiots around, but you will not catch me!" She lifted her wand in the air with one hand and grabbed the edge of her black cape to bring it around her body as she tried to disappear.

Nothing happened.

"What?" she exclaimed. She started shaking her wand back and worth and repeated her actions again and again. "This isn't happening!" she yelled in frustration.

"I'm afraid it is," He-Man replied. "Courtesy of the Sorceress of Grayskull!"

He-Man looked back at his father for a second to wink when Randor yelled suddenly, "He-Man! Look out!"

Evil-Lyn rushed at He-Man in her frustration of not being able to use magic to leave the area. He-Man whirled around quickly and as she was using her wand as a club to hit He-Man in the head, King Randor knocked it out of the way with his spear before she could.

As their father did this, She-Ra walked up to Evil-Lyn calmly, grabbed her arms, and picked her up off the floor. "She's not very smart, is she?" she questioned.

King Randor and He-Man looked at each other and laughed heartily. Soon, Teela, Man-at-Arms, and She-Ra joined them as they made their way around the room and tied their prisoners up.

=)=)=)

King Randor stood outside and waited at the AttakTrak, which was several hundred yards away, to give the final word. He watched as several loud booms occurred within Snake Mountain. Finally, he saw a large opening emerge from the stone and he saw his children throwing a Shrieker into the air. Immediately, the animal cried out a warning but left the area hurriedly when the creature saw that he had the means to escape.

Within moments, the king heard a whistle and saw Swiftwind fly to the twins. Each hopped on and made their way to him quickly.

He-Man jumped off the animal as soon as it landed and announced, "It's clear. No living creature is in there." King Randor nodded and took a deep, calming breath. He honestly never thought this day would come. He brought the AttakTrak's communicator to his mouth to speak the final words but suddenly stopped.

"Dad?" questioned He-Man and She-Ra softly.

The king smiled at his children and replied, "Prince Adam gave the orders to march. I think he should be the one to give the final order, as well."

She-Ra turned to her brother and said playfully, "Well, brother dear, that's your cue to find the prince. Do you know where he's hiding?"

He-Man laughed as he watched the others raise their eyebrows at She-Ra. He played along and said, "Yes, I think I saw him behind that rock." He pointed behind the AttakTrak and walked away. Within a minute, Prince Adam walked back up to them slowly.

Teela ran to him as soon as he stepped back in front of the vehicle and wrapped her arms around him. "Oh, I've missed you!" she exclaimed as she slipped her hands around his head and brought his lips to meet hers. She hadn't had the opportunity to express her relief and joy at having him back earlier, because he had been hurt and then he had turned into He-Man right away. She decided then and there that she wasn't going to let this opportunity slip through her fingertips.

Adam wrapped his arms around her and picked her up playfully, sliding his arms behind her thighs to do it.

"ADAM!" she hollered in surprise while the prince merely laughed.

After a moment, he set her back down on her feet and replied honestly, "I've missed you, too!" His eyes shined with the truth of his words.

Teela stood on the tips of her toes and met Adam's lips with her own one more time chastely. "I've been waiting to do this since you left," she mumbled after they pulled their lips apart again.

"Hmm, me, too," he admitted.

Then, they heard several coughs from several different people. "You do realize you have an audience, right?" they heard Randor ask good-naturedly.

Blushing, both pulled away from one another. "Sorry, Father," replied Adam as he grabbed Teela's hand and walked to the king's side.

"No apologies are necessary," the monarch replied. "I just had to give you a hard time."

Adam groaned good-humoredly and complained jokingly, "Please don't tell me you're one of those parents who likes to tease their sons about girls!"

"You wouldn't already know?" questioned Teela, unthinkingly.

She didn't notice the king's sudden frown, but Adam did. Knowing that the king was still sensitive about how their relationship had been up until that point, he replied to comfort him, "Well, you are my first girlfriend, really. So, how would I know?"

Teela blushed at hearing Adam call her his girlfriend in front of everyone. She glanced down and mumbled, "Good point."

The prince then pulled away from Teela and reached out to take the communicator from his father. "I heard you wanted me to give the final order," he stated happily.

"Yes, I did," he confirmed, forcing himself to smile after Teela's reminder of his failed attempts at parenting.

Adam squeezed his father's hand and turned to look at the mountain. "I'm not going to be sad to see this place go," he exclaimed. He brought the device he held to his lips, activated it, and said, "Guards, FIRE!"

In an instant, the area was filled with blasts and shots unlike any anyone had ever heard on the planet before. A dust storm of dirt stretched in every direction, making everyone have to close their eyes to shield them from the small debris. When things silenced, everyone opened their eyes and gasped. The mountain was now a massive pile of rubble before them.

"I can't believe we did it!" Adam said, finally coming to terms with what they had done. They had captured Skeletor and destroyed his lair. He glanced at Teela who suddenly laughed. He turned towards her completely and she immediately flung herself into his arms. They kissed happily and Adam twirled her around. When he released her, he finally went to She-Ra and Man-at-Arms and hugged them simultaneously. He then turned to his father, stepped in front of him slowly, and whispered, "Thank you, Father."

"For what?" he questioned, truly not knowing.

"For not giving up on us even when I was giving up on myself. For making this all possible. For being my father."

Randor reached out and pulled his son to him tightly. "It is I who should be thanking you! You are the one who made this possible, and it is an honor to have you as a son!"

Adam squeezed his father tightly before pulling away. He glanced to the back of the AttakTrak where only Skeletor remained to be loaded. He grinned and exclaimed almost to himself, "I can't believe we won...finally."

Suddenly, there was a loud commotion and several guardsmen rushed forward. Everyone turned in that direction and Adam questioned loudly, "What is it?"

"We think it's another enemy," one of the soldiers yelled back.

Within minutes, soldiers marched to the king and prince. They had their arms tightly around the arms of Hordak and Shadow Weaver. Adam suddenly realized that they hadn't been able to leave either, thanks to the Sorceress. He had almost forgotten about them!

He squeezed his eyes shut and thanked the Ancients that they caught them, too. He looked to his sister and for once didn't care what anyone saw. He rushed to her and hugged her. He whispered in her ear, "We got him, sis! You can come home and stay. We did it!"

As the soldiers took the Hordesmen to the back of the AttakTrak, Adam could hear Hordak yelling, "I need to speak with Prince Adam! Bring him to me or take me to see him!"

Adam hugged his sister one more time and went towards Horde leader. "Adam," She-Ra warned.

"It's okay," he comforted her. "There isn't much he can do now."

King Randor, She-Ra, Teela, and Man-at-Arms accompanied him. "You asked for me, Hordak," the prince stated once he was within several feet of him. "What do you want?"

Hordak smiled and answered, "I did you a favor. You promised me if I helped you, you'd owe me one. I believe now is the appropriate time to ask for it."

A painful brick settled in Adam's stomach. "What do you want?"

"I think you already know. Allow Shadow Weaver and I to go back to Etheria," he said simply.

"No," spat Randor, "if you think for one second we'll let you go after everything you've pulled over the years, you're out of your mind."

Hordak ignored him and focused on Prince Adam. "You promised. You said you were a man of your word. Let's put that claim to the test."

Adam closed his eyes as tears rushed into them. He looked at his sister who was already frowning at him. She walked over to him and whispered, "It's okay, Adam. We'll have another day."

He nodded sadly, turned away, and went to the king. "I gave him my word, Father. He helped me to escape regardless of what happened afterward. I can't break my promise."

The king frowned. He knew he really didn't have a choice. He couldn't go against Adam's wishes. His son was the most honorable man he knew, and he knew Adam would do anything to keep his promise, even if he had to bust Hordak out of the palace prison as He-Man to get it done.

He nodded helplessly. "I understand, son."

Adam looked at the guards that held them and said reluctantly, "Release them." The guards begrudgingly did as they were told. He then looked upward and said, "Sorceress, make a portal to send them back to Etheria."

The dimensional gate immediately appeared, and tears slipped down Adam's cheeks as he realized his promise ruined his sister's homecoming. He shook his head and looked at Hordak bitterly. "Now, we're even. Don't expect me to ever help you again," he stated with more calm than he felt.

Hordak laughed and said, "We'll see, Prince Adam." The villain then looked back at his companion and continued, "Come, Weaver." At that moment as Shadow Weaver walked into the gate, Hordak purposely stared at what was left of Snake Mountain and then at the back of the AttakTrak.

His eyes settled on Skeletor, who they kept refreezing so he wouldn't be able to use his magic to fight them and escape. Unknowingly to Hordak, back at Castle Grayskull, the Sorceress was conjuring a jail cell to keep him in. At the sight of his old pupil contained, Hordak immediately exclaimed, "Well, well, well…seems like old Bonehead finally got what's coming to him." He grinned at Adam and changed his lower body into a rocket booster. "You know, Prince Adam, there is something you should know when dealing with the Horde that She-Ra and Adora should have been able to tell you."

"What's that?" he replied.

"Never, ever trust the Horde and expect the unexpected."

Suddenly, Hordak took off with his rocket boosters, flew to Skeletor, picked him up, and shot through the portal.

Everyone yelled, but no one was quick enough to stop him. Hordak's laugh, as well as Shadow Weaver's, was heard as the dimensional gate closed.

=)=)=)


	49. The Return Home

Noticing Adam Chapter 49

Prince Adam immediately bent down onto one knee and touched the ground with two fingers to balance himself. He squeezed his eyes shut as he realized he had no way of knowing now if things were truly finished with Skeletor. True, Hordak and his former student didn't get along, but as the Horde leader had rightfully stated just a few mere seconds ago: "Never, ever trust the Horde and expect the unexpected."

While one might think Hordak took Skeletor to seek revenge for his recent imprisonment and betrayal, the opposite was entirely possible. Yes, they may hate one another, but they hated He-Man and King Randor even more, and those were the best reasons to call a truce. Besides, if Hordak and Adam could work together to reach a common goal after everything the villain had done to Royal Family, Hordak could do the same with Skeletor. The prince didn't have a doubt in his mind.

Opening his eyes at a sudden touch on his shoulder, he saw King Randor bent before him. "It's okay, son," he whispered; "We'll get through whatever they throw our way if they join forces."

He nodded but didn't say anything to agree with or deny his father's words. Instead, he stood and quickly looked back down when Randor gasped. "What is it?" he asked.

The king pointed to Adam's leg, and Man-at-Arms, She-Ra, and Teela walked over to see that Adam still had the bandages Man-at-Arms had been putting on his leg before he had turned into He-Man. Blood still soaked his pants and boot, and the bandages even had traces of blood seeping through it. "I thought that had healed," exclaimed the king worriedly.

The prince turned his leg to the side to look at it himself and replied calmly, "It has, Father. My sword protects my secret identity. That's the best way I can explain it. I can't get hurt as Adam, have bandages and blood covering me, and then show up with no trace of those things ever happening. That would tell everyone on the planet something was up with me in no time."

Randor stood and replied, "Oh, I see. So, your clothes and bandages are the only things that stayed the same. You are, in fact, injury-free right now."

"As far as I know," he agreed.

The king nodded with relief and then turned to study the area for a moment. "There isn't anything left to be done," he observed. "There's nothing we can do until Hordak or Skeletor makes his move, so we might as well go home. Besides, I have no doubt your mother is beside herself with worry. Let's go make her feel better."

Adam smiled. Despite being upset at losing both Hordak and Skeletor, he was happy and thankful for the opportunity to go home.

=)=)=)

It was well into the night hours and Queen Marlena hadn't heard a word from her husband. She was more than worried: she was petrified that something had happened and she didn't even want to contemplate to whom or how. She knew she wouldn't be able to make it through the night if she dwelled on such thoughts.

Currently, she sat in the throne room and stared at the doors. She refused to go to bed without Randor and she resolved to stay there all night if she had to. She wanted news. She wouldn't be able to rest until she was sure her family was okay. It seemed as though King Miro had a similar idea: he still sat beside her in Randor's seat even though they hadn't discussed staying up until everyone returned home. He didn't even try to get her to go to bed, so she was confident that he felt the same way she did. After all, his son and grandchildren were out there…well, grandson. He didn't know his granddaughter was out there, too.

She sighed. Her family had so many secrets and they would continue to have those secrets for years to come. If her family stayed intact. " _And it will_ ," she thought vehemently. She squeezed her eyes shut and only opened her eyes when she felt someone grab her hand.

She looked over and Miro stated, "Randor and Adam will be fine. I have no doubt my son will make sure of that."

She nodded. She wouldn't think otherwise. "I know," she agreed; "I just wish we knew what was happening. I thought we would have heard about their progress by now."

He grimaced and replied, "I thought so, too, but they're probably busy. War is a messy business and sometimes calling home is the last thing on your mind when you're in the midst of battles."

The queen frowned at the thought of Randor, Adam, and Adora being in the "midst of battles." Despite her children being He-Man and She-Ra and Randor being an experienced and skilled fighter, she didn't like them fighting, no matter of how good or noble the reasons. She wished wholeheartedly sometimes that her husband and son handled things the way it would have been handled on Earth. If Randor had been the President of the United States instead of the King of Eternia, the U.S. Military would have gone off to war, not him…

But, she knew her desire was completely selfish. Randor and Adam were so noble and so good that neither liked the thought of asking others to risk their lives without also doing the same. They wanted to stand with their soldiers…even if the odds were against them.

"I know that, as well," she mumbled to Miro. "I just can't stand the waiting. This is the worst part about being queen…having to stay behind and pray for good news."

Before Miro could respond, a voice rang out from the hall before its owner could be seen: "I'm sorry, my dear, but I thought it would be better to hear my news in person." King Randor walked in and went to the center of the room. He couldn't get any farther because Marlena practically flew from the throne and threw herself into his arms as soon as she reached him.

"Randor!" she exclaimed as she pulled away so she could study his expression. "What happened? Where is everyone? Where's Adam?" Tears already pooled to her eyes, because she found herself more anxious now than she ever had been before. She had expected everyone to walk in there together.

The king cupped her face with both of his hands, spun her so she could face in opposite direction, and said soothingly, "Everything is fine and everyone is all right."

Before she could reply, Randor smiled, dropped his hands, and gestured with his head for her to turn around.

When she did, a sob escaped her lips as she saw Adam who stood directly behind her. "Oh, thank God!" she praised as she hugged him. When she pulled back, she stared into his care-worn eyes and ordered forcefully, "Don't you ever scare me like this again!"

Adam wrapped his arms around her again and hugged her tightly. He buried his face in her shoulder and simply absorbed the comfort of being in his mother's arms once more for several long moments. "I'll try my best," he mumbled. He took a step back and added regretfully, "I can't make any promises, but I'll do all I can to prevent it."

"Good," she replied. She smiled brightly at him, then. "So, I take it Skeletor paid greatly for messing with the Royal Family."

He immediately frowned and walked away. He went to stare out the window as Marlena exclaimed worriedly, "Adam?" She started to follow him, but Randor pulled on her shoulder. When she looked at him, he shook his head. "What happened?" she asked her husband.

"Skeletor and Hordak escaped," he answered softly, reaching out and squeezing King Miro's hand. "Father," he greeted before looking back at Marlena and continuing, "The worst part is we had both of them…but Adam had promised Hordak he'd owe him a favor if he helped him to escape Snake Mountain, which Hordak did. The villain called in his favor to be released, and unfortunately, he surprised us by grabbing Skeletor and taking off with him back to Etheria. None of us had the chance to stop him."

The queen turned back around and stared at Adam sorrowfully. "So, he's blaming himself?" At the king's nod, she started to walk to her son but stopped abruptly. She looked around and asked, "Where is everyone? Where's Adora? Don't tell me there is more that he's blaming himself for!"

He walked to her side and whispered to his wife only, "Adora is in her room changing…if you know what I mean. As for Teela and Man-at-Arms, they are overseeing the placement of Skeletor's men."

She smiled. "At least we got them." She said it loud enough for Adam to hear. She wanted him to know that she was proud of him and that things were okay.

The king added exuberantly, "And, we destroyed their base!"

"What?"

He grinned and announced, "We leveled Snake Mountain. Even if Hordak and Skeletor join forces, they won't have a place to readily come back to on Eternia. They're going to have to find a new place or rebuild. Either way, it's going to take some time before they'll be ready to attack us again."

"Then, Adam will have a much deserved break," she stated with relief.

Randor nodded with a smile, but Adam's voice interrupted them. "I'm afraid not."

They turned to watch Adam walk towards him. "I have to accompany Adora back to Etheria," he explained.

"What?" they all gasped.

At that moment, Miro stepped forward and asked, "What do you mean, Adam?"

The prince widened his eyes. It was the first time he noticed the king since he had been so consumed with thoughts of Hordak and Skeletor's escape. "Grandfather," he stated. They quickly walked to each other and hugged. When they pulled away from one another, he turned back to his parents and continued, "Skeletor is on Etheria. He is my responsibility and I cannot allow him to make things harder for Adora. If they decide to work together, it's possible they will stay on Etheria to take care of the Rebellion *before* coming back to Eternia. I couldn't bear letting Adora and She-Ra go through that alone."

King Miro looked back at Randor and suggested, "Couldn't we simply ask He-Man if he could go with She-Ra back to Etheria? After all, Skeletor is no longer here and we have his men. Eternia is the safest it's ever been. I'm sure the champion would love to accompany his sister to help, as well." He looked at his grandson. "You need rest, Adam. You've been through quite an ordeal."

Adam stared at his parents and said for his grandfather's benefit, "He-Man and I have already discussed this. We both want to go to Etheria. We can't allow Skeletor to give Hordak a bigger advantage than he already has. To even things up, we have to be there."

Miro shook his head. "That's very noble, Adam, and I understand completely, but couldn't you go at a later date? Send He-Man for now and regain your strength." He then ran his eyes over Adam's body and focused his attention on his leg. He exclaimed rapidly, "And, you're hurt! There's no way we can allow you to go!"

"What?" Marlena exclaimed. She looked down and saw the dried blood. "Adam!" she nearly shouted with worry.

Randor immediately grabbed her, pulled her close, and whispered in her ear. She calmed instantly as Miro turned from his grandson to look at them questioningly. "Surely, son, you're not going to allow him to go. He needs time to recuperate. He-Man can handle this. Better yet, with He-Man and She-Ra on Etheria, Adora could stay until he feels better, as well. We could all stay here and enjoy each other's presence for a little while. Everyone's here: your brothers, sister, and cousins. We should all take a break!"

Adam looked a little startled at Miro's words. "Everyone's here?" he questioned

Randor smiled and replied, "Well, you already knew we had the entire Eternian Army at Snake Mountain. Of course, the monarchs would accompany them."

He nodded sadly and mumbled, "Well, that really changes nothing. I would love nothing more than to stay and spend time with everyone…but the Rebellion and Adora need me. It wouldn't be right or fair to abandon that responsibility."

Miro opened his mouth to argue, but before he could get a word out, Adora walked into the room, felt the tension that was present, and asked, "Hey, what's going on?"

Everyone turned their attention to her, and Miro exclaimed, "It's about time you came out and showed yourself." Before he could say anymore, Randor interrupted him.

"Adam is talking about accompanying you back to Etheria." As Adora glanced at her brother questioningly, their father continued, "But it's late. Why don't we all go to bed and discuss this in the morning? We should sleep on it."

"Sleep's not going to make a difference," the prince insisted stubbornly.

Randor shrugged and agreed, "Probably not, but everyone is exhausted. It's night, so we'll discuss this in the morning. Adora isn't leaving tonight…are you?"

When she shook her head, Randor fanned his hands toward the door to gesture for them to leave. "I know it's going to be difficult to sleep after all the excitement we've had today, but we must try." He knew he was taking an easy way out to get everyone to stop talking and making decisions about the future, but the truth was he needed time to think himself. He didn't want Adam or Adora to go to Etheria just yet, because he happened to agree with his father. Adam needed rest and despite He-Man's ability to heal quickly and his overall improved health recently, the fact was He-Man and Adam could burn out. It happened not too long ago, after all, which contributed to all of their recent problems. Adam still hadn't received a break really, so things could get bad again and quickly. Unfortunately, he already knew that forbidding his children to go wouldn't be the right decision. So, postponing the subject was his objective for now. There was someone he needed to speak with first before this decision was made.

=)=)=)

Randor stared up at the Sorceress who sat on her throne in Castle Grayskull. "I'm sorry to keep you awake after all of your help at Snake Mountain," he stated. "Your spell to keep others from using magic to flee the area was invaluable. We wouldn't have succeeded nearly as well without it."

"There is no need for thanks, King Randor," she replied. "I only wish I could have prevented Hordak from taking Skeletor to Etheria. I should have expected it, but I didn't until it was too late."

"He surprised us all," he said with a shake of his head. "It's not your fault. But I'm not here to discuss that." He looked up and watched the Sorceress raise a brow questioningly. "I'm here to discuss the future. It's not over for Eternia, is it?"

The Sorceress stood and walked down the throne. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"We destroyed Snake Mountain, we have Skeletor's men, and Skeletor is no longer on the planet…but I have a feeling it's not over. We still have a battle to face, don't we?" He turned from the Sorceress to look around the castle. When he turned back, he revealed, "I had a short conversation with that spirit who showed up to save Adam's life when you were at Snake Mountain." He took a deep breath. "He told me Adam is meant to lead and bring peace to both Eternia and Etheria. It's hard to explain, but today didn't feel like that big moment. Adam wasn't really leading. Yes, he gave the final orders, but it didn't feel like that…prophecy was coming to pass. So, I'm asking you, who can see the future, are Eternia's battles with Skeletor over?"

The Sorceress shook her head and answered, "No, it's not. The threat of Skeletor still looms over Eternia."

Randor nodded sadly and wrinkled his face in response to the news. "I thought for a second that we had won, but when Hordak grabbed Skeletor, I knew…I knew Adam would have to continue to bear this burden, that he would have to continue to endanger himself and…" He trailed off.

The Sorceress squeezed his shoulder comfortingly.

He met her gaze and said, "Adam wants to go to Etheria since Hordak and Skeletor are there together, but I think he should take some time to rest. What is the right decision to make?"

The Sorceress widened her eyes in surprise. "You're asking me, King Randor?"

He sighed in frustration and complained, "Of course, I am! You know Adam and his responsibility as He-Man better than I do! I've behaved in a deplorable manner recently when I realized who Adam was and what he dealt with day after day. My instincts are to do what's best for him, but I don't know what that is. Should I plead with him to take a break or should I allow him to go to Etheria?"

He didn't add that he really didn't want Adam to go. What he truly wanted was for his son to take a break so he could rest and so they could spend time together…but it always seemed like no matter what, there would always be something to keep the Royal Family apart. And, that's what hurt the most and was so frustrating: he just came to realize that Hordak and Skeletor had taken both of his children away from him. He hadn't only lost Adora. He had lost Adam, too, even if it hadn't happened on the exact same day. But now that it had happened with both of the twins, it kept happening, and he felt like there was nothing he could do to stop it or bridge the gap between them. He wanted to beg with the Sorceress to tell him that it wasn't so…

And, if Adam went to Etheria, how long would his son remain there? How long would it be before he could completely mend the rift they had developed between one another? How long would he be without his son and daughter? How could he bear it? How could Marlena bear it? How could Eternia bear it?

He waited for an answer from the Sorceress and frowned when she looked at him sympathetically.


	50. Comfort and Jealousy

Noticing Adam Chapter 50

It felt so good to be in his own bed again. He had almost grown used to resting on hospital beds and hard, cold dungeon floors, thanks to Skeletor. Being in his room now felt like a luxury he had very much taken for granted, and he had. Unfortunately, he knew he wouldn't be able to enjoy it for much longer. Soon, he would be in Etheria, sleeping under a tent in a bed that the Rebellion had either made or bought from townspeople who were getting rid of an old worn-out one. The bed wouldn't be as comfortable as this one, so he had plans to sleep in late and simply enjoy it.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath to relax. He had spent the last hour or so thinking about what he would do once he got to Etheria, but he knew if he wanted to get any rest at all, he would have to put those thoughts aside for now. Just as he started to feel like he might nod off, he heard his bedchamber door open. He opened his eyes and watched a faint outline move towards him. Instinctively, he knew who it was.

"What are you doing here?" he asked as the figure drew near the bed and finally slipped into it with him. "Is something wrong?"

He felt Adora shake her head as she slipped an arm around his waist and rested her head near his. She cleared her throat a little and replied, "No, I'm just so wound up that I couldn't sleep. Besides, I'm still not used to sleeping here and…" She trailed off as she shrugged.

He smiled. "And, you knew you'd feel more comfortable and safe with your big brother."

She smiled as well and slapped his shoulder playfully. "Hey, you're not much older than me! You might be able to brag about a few minutes, but that's it! So, don't act all macho!"

He laughed and slipped an arm around her shoulders so she could snuggle to his side. "Regardless, you're more than welcome to stay, sis," he said with a yawn. He then relaxed his body and closed his eyes again so he could finally try to get some rest, but now that Adora was in the room with him, he found that he wasn't able to calm his thoughts.

He glanced over at his sister and saw that her eyes were wide open and staring at him. She almost looked sad—or was it scared?—but before he could question why or what was wrong, she slipped closer to him, rested her head on his shoulder, and whispered, "So, you plan on coming back to Etheria with me."

He held her tighter for a moment and then replied, "Yes, I don't like your odds when Skeletor and Hordak are there together, so I want to make sure the Rebellion is on equal footing…or at least as strong as it can be."

"And, it's never stronger than when He-Man and She-Ra are there together."

"Precisely," he agreed. "I think I'm needed there more now…" He thought for a moment, and then added, "But that's if you want me to be there. If you don't want me to come…"

Adora spoke instantly. "Of course, I want you there!" she exclaimed. "I think it would be great to have you on Etheria for an extended visit! We could finally spend real time together…you know, as a family instead of comrades-in-arms! And, I wouldn't have to worry about you as much as I would have if I had gone back alone—"

"Worry about me?" questioned Adam, who was slightly surprised. "What do you mean?"

She remained silent for a long time until Adam spoke her name questioningly. She sighed and finally admitted, "It's the same reason why I'm in here tonight. I never got a chance to talk to you alone really since it happened, but Adam, I felt you…die at Snake Mountain and since that time I've been having awful flashbacks when I'm alone."

"What?" he gasped. He immediately scooted up in bed and touched his lamp to turn on the lights.

Cringer popped his head up from the floor sleepily and whined, "Adam, it can't be m-m-morning, yet. You just got here and…" The tiger stopped speaking when he saw Adora and her emotional state.

She had tears streaming down her face as she relived that moment in her mind again. "It felt like a part of myself had died and I was writhing in pain," she recalled. "It almost overwhelmed me as I was fighting Skeletor's men. I wanted to lie down and die, too, but I told myself that I'd be able to save you, that I couldn't just accept that you were gone. And, since that time, we've only had more situations that have put you in danger. My anxiety keeps getting larger and larger. It's to the point where I don't want you out of my sight, and I know I'm being irrational and super-sensitive, but I can't help it! I know firsthand how Father felt when he took our swords to protect us, but I didn't want to lay my burden on you, so I kept my feelings to myself. Then, Skeletor kidnapped you and you didn't even have your sword! I was so frightened, and I'm still so frightened that I'm going to lose you!"

Adam quickly pulled Adora into his arms and rocked her gently as she began to sob. "It's okay, Adora," he whispered. "I'm here and I'm fine." He kissed her forehead gently and continued to soothe her frazzled mind. "You're worn out and tired. So much has happened that it's finally getting to us. All these events are piling up in our minds and it's starting to show. We have to let it all go to move on, but I know that's hard." He paused and pulled back to look at her. "Do you want to stay on Eternia a little longer? We could rest and spend time together…we could mentally prepare ourselves for whatever will happen on Etheria. Father already has guards with the Rebellion. We can send a little more to keep watch until we feel ready to go! The Sorceress can send us to Etheria quickly if something starts to happen."

She looked up a little, sniffled, and then nodded her head.

He nodded back and pulled her into his arms again. "Then, that's what we'll do," he whispered and resumed rocking her.

=)=)=)

Adam and Adora weren't the only ones in the palace who found themselves restless. King Randor had just gotten back from Castle Grayskull and he wasn't able to tear his eyes from the ceiling. He didn't know what he was going to do. He had asked the Sorceress if he should plead with Adam to stay on Eternia for a while longer or if he should let him go. She had told him to let Adam decide.

He knew what Adam's choice would be…and he didn't like it.

But he wasn't going to make the same mistake he had made for the past two years and especially recently. He wasn't going to force his desires and opinions on his son, no matter how badly he wanted to.

"You need to get some sleep, Randor," he heard his wife call out to him.

He smiled a little and glanced over at Marlena. "You do, too, my dear," he replied. He knew she was having just as much trouble sleeping as he was. After everything that had happened recently, it was hard to get his brain to shut down.

The queen moved close to her husband's side and said, "I know, Randor. I'm trying my best, but feeling anxious about Adam and Adora's safety and watching you fret aren't exactly helping.

"I'm sorry, Marlena," he mumbled. "I'm afraid I can't do anything about your anxiety, but I'll try to relax. It's hard, though."

"I know," she whispered, rubbing a hand back and forth over his chest. "It's not your fault. Really, worrying about Adam is taking precedent over everything else. Skeletor seems to have set his sights on him, and I keep wondering when he's going to pop up next. Will he try to take Adam as he's sleeping? Will he try to kill him while he's traveling somewhere with Man-at-Arms or Teela? It's nerve-wrecking. I just wish those villains would leave our children alone."

The king nodded and kissed her on the forehead as he ran his fingers through her hair. "It is nerve-wrecking," he agreed, "but I think I know something that will help…at least for tonight, anyway."

When she looked at him questioningly, he suggested, "Let's check on the twins. We can make sure they're in their rooms and sleeping soundly. Daylight will be in a couple of hours and we'll let them sleep in. We will, as well, and at that time there will be a lot more guards awake and on duty. We'll be able to have some relief from all the worries, even if it is just for a little while."

She nodded. "Yes, that's a good idea. After all, the sooner Adam and Adora get up, the sooner they'll want to go to Etheria. It's good to prolong that," she mumbled.

He stared at his wife sadly before getting out of bed and extending his hand to her. Ignoring her words because he didn't want to think about that right now, he replied, "Let's go see our children." She took his hand and he pulled her to her feet.

=)=)=)

The hallway of the palace was eerily quiet and dark. In this distance at each end of the corridor, Randor saw several of his guards standing there, patrolling and looking outward down the other halls. Ever since Skeletor had taken Adam during the night, he had increased the guards' numbers at that time. He wasn't going to take any chances, and seeing them now was a comfort. No one would have gotten by them. They seemed very alert, and they had even turned and spotted them. Randor nodded at them and smiled gratefully.

Without explanation to the guards, they went to Adora's bedroom since it was the only bedroom to their left. He didn't knock, because he didn't want to wake her. Instead, he turned the knob slowly and cracked the door open. When no creaks were heard, he sighed in relief and went ahead and opened the door without worrying about making any noises.

The room was dark and he could barely see a thing, so they both stepped inside and walked to the bed. What met their eyes startled them more than they could ever express! Adora's bed had obviously been slept in, but she wasn't there now!

"Where is she?" cried Marlena frantically as she turned panicked eyes to her husband.

Randor glanced around the room anxiously and said, "Check the bathroom. I'll go to the balcony."

Each ran to their designations and quickly returned to one another. "She's not there!" she said hurriedly. "Oh, Randor! What if they've taken her again!"

Randor shook his head and then widened his eyes. "Adam! What if they've taken Adam, too!"

Quickly, as fast as they could go, they ran to Adam's room and flung the door open as the Guards ran to them. They could tell from the king and queens' frantic movements that something was horribly wrong.

The Royal Couple stepped inside and as they got closer to the bed, they calmed significantly and gestured for the guardsmen to leave. They made their way around the bed to the other side, so they could avoid stepping on Cringer, and hugged one another as they stared at the sight they had longed for since the day Adora had been taken:

Adam and Adora were sleeping together, just like they had when they were babies. Adora had her head so close to Adam's that their hair was running together, so it was hard to tell where hers ended and his began. Also, they had a tight hold on one another. Adora almost seemed to be clutching her brother in her sleep, and Randor observed that every so often, Adam would rub his hand that was around her down her arm as if he were comforting her. It was also then that he noticed Adora's erratic breathing. Every once in a while, it would catch and she'd struggle to get air to her lungs. He let go of Marlena and stepped closer to the bed. He could see tears slipping down the side of her face, even though she was sound asleep. Adam also looked upset.

"She's crying," he whispered to Marlena. "What's wrong?"

She wasn't going to ponder. Even though she knew it would wake Adora up, she sat beside her children and reached a hand out to wipe her daughter's cheek.

Simultaneously, Adora opened her eyes. "Mother?" she questioned and she quickly realized she was crying, so she wiped at her cheeks.

Because of her actions, Adam also woke up. He saw his mother sitting beside Adora and his father hovering over all of them behind her. "What's going on?" he asked.

Randor spoke first. "We came to check on you. Adora wasn't in her room, so we got a little scared." He gestured towards his sister. "Your sister was crying in her sleep, and you know you're mother. She can't stand to see her babies crying without knowing why."

Marlena glared at him a little but didn't really mean the hostility. "That's right. How can you fault a mother for that?" She turned back to her daughter and asked, "What's wrong, Adora?"

She shook her head and turned to bury her face into Adam's shoulder.

When both parents looked upset and glanced at him questioningly, he wrapped both arms around his sister and supplied an answer: "Adora's been reliving the moment that I…" He paused as he saw his father flinch. He decided to reword what he was going to say. "She's been reliving the moment when I got hurt at Snake Mountain."

"Which time?" asked Marlena, somewhat angrily, but they knew it wasn't directed towards any of them. She was focused on Adora and stroking her hair, so she wasn't aware of her tone.

"You know, the time…" he replied. "The worst time."

She suddenly gasped, realizing the moment he was referring to. Randor sat beside her and shared, "I keep reliving that moment, too. It was the absolute worst moment in my life, and I'll never forget it, ever." He reached out a hand and rubbed Adora's back comfortingly. "But the pain of that memory will fade for the both of us in time, Adora. Your brother is alive and well. You and the Sorceress made sure of that."

She pulled away from Adam and sniffled. "I know," she mumbled. "I'm sorry for being overemotional."

Marlena grabbed Adora's chin softly and pulled it so they could look at one another. "Who's overemotional?" she asked with tears slipping down her cheeks. "You almost lost your brother. How could that not affect you? I wasn't even there and I find myself overwhelmed and worried."

Adam sighed and sat up in bed. "I think I have some news that might help everyone," he said softly, hoping it would brighten at least his parents' mood. He couldn't handle everyone falling into a pit of despair at the same time. It would pull him down, too.

When his parents looked at him expectantly, he announced, "Adora and I have decided to postpone our trip to Etheria. We want to focus our minds and rest before we go. We won't do the Rebellion any good if we're tired and stressed out…but that's only if you can spare a few more soldiers to go to Etheria. With Skeletor there, I'd just feel better if…"

Randor grabbed Adam's hand and squeezed it. "Say no more. It's done. We'll figure out the numbers in the morning. I want you both here for as long as you need, and I'll do anything I can to make that happen. I think it'll be good for all of us."

Adam grinned and replied softly, "Yeah, it'll give us all a chance to be together as a whole family again. I think that's just what we all need right now. And, I don't know, maybe we could throw a party to have some fun. You know, we could celebrate Snake Mountain's destruction and the capture of Skeletor's allies. Make it a festival and spread it throughout Eternos. I think it would calm the entire kingdom and possibly the whole planet down after all the stress Skeletor has put everyone through."

Randor widened his eyes for a moment at Adam's suggestion but then smiled. "All right. We'll do it," he agreed. He chuckled a little and asked in amusement, "Is there anything else you would like while we're at it, Adam?"

Adam's grin widened before he brought his hand up to his chin and seemed to ponder. "No, I think that's it for now," he answered. "But I'll let you know when I come up with something else."

Everyone in the room laughed. Randor squeezed his son's shoulder as before he stood and replied, "You do that, son."

Afterward, the Royal Family said their goodnights and finally got some rest.

=)=)=)

The next morning Adam and Adora slept in late, but they were still on time for breakfast. In fact, they had beaten Man-at-Arms and Teela. King Randor and Queen Marlena were already seated in their usual spots and Adam walked around the table to go to his.

Adora stared at the seating arrangements and frowned. Normally, she would have sat across from Adam…but today she didn't want to. As everyone exchanged pleasantries and inquiries as to how everyone had slept, she walked around the table and settled beside her brother. At everyone's questioning looks, she explained, "I want to sit beside Adam today, so Teela can have her usual seat." She knew that's where Teela sat when she wasn't present.

"That's fine, dear," replied Marlena. She then glanced at the door and said aloud, "I wonder where Man-at-Arms and Teela are."

Precisely at that moment, the two being discussed walked into the room as Adam leaned over and teased his sister a little. "How long do you plan on keeping a close-eye on me?" he asked.

She ducked her head in embarrassment that Adam knew why she wanted to be close to him, but she couldn't help that she was still worried about him! She glanced over, prepared to apologize but stopped when she saw him looking at her warmly. He didn't mind. She sighed in relief and answered truthfully: "For as long as you let me."

He grinned and said, "Well, that might be for a really long time. Are you sure you can put up with me?"

She smiled and said, "Most definitely."

At that moment, Teela walked to her normal seat and stood behind it. "Um, Adora, this is your usual seat. I…don't want to take your spot," she said softly.

Adora looked up at her, smiled, and said, "Oh, you can sit there. I wanted to be beside Adam."

At that moment, Teela frowned and Adora saw it. She knew why the captain was upset: she was currently sitting in what was supposed to be Teela's seat when the princess was on Eternia, and this was precisely the seat that Teela had wanted to sit in this morning, too. She couldn't help but smile at Teela. She knew she was being a little catty, but ever since the captain and her brother had kissed, Teela—and their father and Skeletor, of course—had taken up almost all of Adam's time and attention. And, even when they were together without Teela, Skeletor, or their father being present, they were the usual topics. She knew Adam and Teela were technically courting now and she was truly happy for them, but at the same time, now that things were calmer, she refused to allow Teela to push her aside when it came to Adam. She knew Teela would do it without even really thinking about it, just like she had done when they were figuring out ways to rescue her brother from Snake Mountain that first time. Adam wasn't solely the Captain of the Guard's property now that they were seeing one another.  **She** was Adam's twin and they were an important part of each other's lives. She knew this simple switch of seats would remind Teela of that. As Teela's frown deepened when she sat down without comment, Adora knew the message had been received.


	51. A Needed Conversation

Noticing Adam Chapter 51

He felt awkward, and he was ashamed he felt that way. King Randor sat at his conference table and looked at his son who was talking softly to Man-at-Arms about a possible means of communication between him and the palace once he was on Etheria. Even though their conversation was very much of interest to him—after all, he did want to keep in close contact with his son and daughter when they left—his current feelings were taking priority over everything else. He wiped a sudden tear away from his eye, and he took a deep breath to steady himself.

He felt awkward, because he wasn't used to Adam sitting in on meetings of Eternian Security. Sure, in the past, his son had been present for some meetings that were of less importance, such as trade agreements, but he had never thought Adam would have any insight on how to keep the kingdom and planet safe in the immediate future. To spare Adam and himself some embarrassment, he had usually kept him away so that his son's complete ignorance and lack of caring on the subjects wouldn't show.

Now, he knew Adam was He-Man…and that certainly changed a lot of things, especially his perceptions of how mature Adam was and if he was ready at any given time to take over the kingdom if need be. With everything that had happened with Skeletor recently, he hadn't really had the time to come to grips with that startling fact. Yes, he had already seen him transform once, so he knew it was true, but to equate Adam with that legendary warrior was difficult nonetheless. Yes, the He-Man he once knew was nonexistent to him now, but so was the Adam he once knew. And, the hardest part in all of this was accepting that his son really did care about security and everything else he had ever excluded him from. And, that devastated him, that he thought so little of his amazing and awe-inspiring son. He had a feeling over the next week or so, he would continue to experience blaring examples of how Adam was truly different than the thoughtless, young man he had thought him to be.

Randor turned himself away from these thoughts as the officers of the Royal Guard stepped into the room and filled their usual seats. He glanced at Adam, smiled briefly, and stated, "I want to thank all of you for coming. I realize this meeting was sprung on you at the last minute, but we have no other choice. We're here today, because we will be sending another regiment of troops to Etheria. As you know, Skeletor is now on that planet and it is reasonable to assume that they might decide to work together, not only to take over Eternia, but to destroy the Rebel opposition there first. We must prevent that."

The lieutenant raised his hand and once the king nodded at him, the soldier asked, "How many troops will be deployed and for how long?"

He gestured to Adam with his head and his son took over.

"The required deployment will probably only last a couple of weeks, if that. You are only there to keep things running smoothly until Adora, He-Man, She-Ra, and I arrive to take over. As for how many troops, I think we should send at least a hundred."

"Why so many?"

"I don't think keeping guard over the Whispering Woods should be the only assignment for our men."

At this statement, Randor, Teela, and Man-at-Arms raised their brows. The king knew at that moment he wasn't the only one who was surprised by the prince's words. Adam was already strategizing. It was amazing to watch…and he could only assume Man-at-Arms was surprised, as well, because He-Man's plans usually never involved the Royal Guard. He was showing everyone a whole new side to himself...except Adora. She took it in stride, and he was sure that was because she had seen this side of Adam before. He decided he would talk to her later to find out when, where, and how.

The king then asked, "What else should they be doing?"

Adam shrugged and answered, "Well, we need to get an idea of what the Horde is doing and when. I think we should have small groups stationed around the Fright Zone to watch what is happening at all times. I also think it would be beneficial to get someone on the inside, so they can find out what's going on with Skeletor. As much as I fear that they are working together, I also fear that Hordak is torturing him—no one, not even Skeletor, should go through that." He looked to his sister. "The Horde does take new recruits, don't they?"

She nodded and replied, "Yes, if they can prove their allegiance to the Horde and that won't be easy."

"But it can be done," said Adam confidently. He turned to his father. "I know both assignments are dangerous, and I only want those who are willing to do this to go…and if no one is, then I'm sure He-Man, She-Ra, and the Rebellion can handle it themselves. Of course, He-Man and She-Ra would have to arrive earlier than we planned, because I think time is of the essence right now. They're planning their next move as we speak."

Before the king could respond, Teela assured him, "There will be men who volunteer, Adam. We were trained to do exactly what this assignment calls for, so it won't be a problem. The only real guidance we'll need is how to convince Hordak of our spy's allegiance to the Horde."

Adora inserted, "That will take some good acting and some well-timed choreography. Whoever takes the assignment, I think Adam and I should work with him or her before the regiment leaves."

The king nodded and said, "It will be done." He then looked at Teela and her lieutenant to say, "I would like this group assembled as quickly as possible. Take volunteers only. As soon as you get the number required, let me know and we will go over their responsibilities immediately. I would like to send them soon."

"Yes, Your Majesty!" she said with a bow.

The king then dismissed them and as everyone got to their feet, Randor called out, "Adora, I would like you to stay for a little while. There are some things I'd like to discuss with you privately."

The twins looked at each other suspiciously, but with a shrug, they went in opposite directions. Adora walked back to her father as Adam left the room.

=)=)=)

Adam didn't have to be told to know when Teela was upset. He had noticed at breakfast, and he had also noticed when she had walked away with the lieutenant to gather volunteers to go to Etheria. While he was grateful that she wasn't exactly angry with him, he knew he was the cause: he had rarely spent any time with her since they began to court. Really, they hadn't been spending a lot of time together even before that point. Those facts frustrated her and rightfully so.

He knew Teela wanted a little time alone together after everything that had happened. The only problem was his family wanted the exact same thing…so he had to make sacrifices and choices.

That afternoon, he knew that his grandfather, uncles, aunts, and cousins would be joining his father for dinner. With so many people present, he knew his absence would be a lot more unnoticeable, so he planned on whisking Teela away for a private dinner elsewhere. The only question was "Where?" He had already ordered a separate dinner with Chef Alan to prepare. Now, he just needed to find a place where they would not be disturbed and to inform Cringer of his plans, so when everyone noticed his absence, Cringer could explain where they were, so they wouldn't freak out.

He hoped everything would go according to plan.

=)=)=)

Adora sat back down at the conference room table and stared at her father who looked very uncomfortable. She reached out across the table to take his hand and asked, "What's wrong, Father? Is everything all right?"

The concern on his daughter's face was discernable and he hated to worry her, but he didn't know how to broach the subject he wanted so desperately to discuss. He squeezed his daughter's hand and started off cautiously. "Adora, I want to know something. The person who I met when Adam brought you home for the first time, is that…who you really are?" When he noticed that she had narrowed her eyes questioningly, he explained, "You've had to maintain your secret, just like Adam. I've had all these years with Adam, and now, I know I don't know him like I thought I did. So, I'm curious, but I think I already know the answer. I just want confirmation: are you the person that you presented to us that day and since then?"

She continued to hold onto her father's hand, but she brought her other hand over to cover it on both sides when she saw his nervousness. "I am," she answered reassuringly. "I can show my true self on Eternia. Things are different for me here than it is for Adam. For starters, I don't really have a lot of friends here. No one really knows me, aside from Adam, of course. So, it would be hard for people to put two-and-two together and realize that I'm She-Ra. Besides, I couldn't use the same ruse as my brother. I was kidnapped and raised by Hordak in—for the lack of a better term—a military. Of course I would know how to fight, so I wouldn't run from danger. In some ways, those facts made things here a lot easier for me in comparison to my brother.

The king nodded thoughtfully, but before he could ask anything else, Adora got a faraway look in her eyes and began to speak almost as if she were talking to herself.

"Truthfully, even things on Etheria are a lot easier for me than it is for Adam on Eternia. When I joined the Great Rebellion, they didn't really know me aside from the fact that I was Adam's sister and I had been raised by Hordak." She paused and became aware of her surroundings again when she heard her father sigh at her comment. He looked sad, but she could also tell he was interested in what she was saying. So, she continued, "On Etheria, it's really the same situation that I have on Eternia. Of course, they know me and She-Ra a lot better now, but my main concern after battles is to simply explain where I go when She-Ra takes over. Madame Razz and Kowl help out a lot there." She grimaced. "And, unlike Adam, I certainly don't have to worry about ruling a kingdom and a whole planet when I grow older. I also don't have to worry about childhood friends figuring out my secret since they know me so well. I don't even have parents to fool constantly, either." When she realized what she said and who she was speaking to, she hurriedly added, "On Etheria, that is, Father."

She met his eyes again cautiously and saw gratefully that he wasn't upset. He nodded to show that he understood what she meant, but she offered some good news anyway. She knew regardless of his good front, her words had to sting a little. "But you will be happy to know that Adam has that freedom, too, when he visits Etheria. He can be himself."

That was the subject King Randor had wanted to discuss initially, so he was glad Adora brought it up on her own. He continued to stare at her, and to encourage the conversation, he asked, "How so?"

Adora laughed and exclaimed, "Where do I begin?" She then thought for a very brief moment. "The very first day he arrived on Etheria, he gained Hordak's attention right away. That's a pretty big deal, because at the time, Hordak believed wholeheartedly that the rebels were beneath him and not a big deal in the larger scheme of things. Talking with Adam later, I realized within an hour—not even thirty minutes, really—of arriving on the planet, he had gotten into a brawl with three Horde Troopers. He did receive help from Bow that day, but his actions were still impressive nonetheless. He held his own and showed courage. I know that's something he couldn't do here at that time."

Randor nodded sadly, seeing the truth in her final words, and said, "Tell me more. What are things like for Adam on Etheria? Who is the Adam that you know?"

It dawned on Adora at that moment what the king wanted—he wanted insight into whom his son really was. He had an inkling now, but he wanted examples. He wanted to hear about Adam from her perspective, from someone who had the opportunity to get to know him away from the pressures on Eternia…and she could offer nothing less to her father.

She looked him straight in the eye and exclaimed, "Adam is my hero!" She smiled and continued, "And, I mean that even without his ability to turn into He-Man! He is so courageous, Father, and so intelligent. He walks into dangerous situations as Adam and He-Man without any heed to himself when he's saving someone else's life. He's gained the respect of almost everyone on Etheria. The Great Rebellion holds him in high esteem. Even Queen Angella thinks highly of him. As for her daughter Glimmer…well, she's quite lost her heart to him, not to mention Queen Castaspella. He's…quite a remarkable guy, and people recognize that on Etheria."

The king looked down at the table briefly and contemplated her words. He was sad that so many people knew Adam better than he did, and they had known him for nowhere near the amount of time that he had. Trying to ignore his current thoughts for now, Randor asked, "How did he build such a reputation for himself? Surely, it wasn't just the encounter with those three Horde Troopers."

"No, it wasn't," she agreed. "There are multiple examples! There was the time that I lost my sword during a Horde ambush. All my friends, except for me, had been captured. During that battle, I lost my sword and the troopers took it with them, so I had no way of turning into She-Ra. Adam came and, without any hesitation at all, dressed himself as a Horde Inspector, walked straight into the Fright Zone, and got all of our friends out! And, again, he did this as Adam, not He-Man."

At this news, Randor seemed a little worried. "That seems like a rather dangerous operation. How did he get everyone out specifically?"

She laughed. "Like I said, he pretended to be a Horde Inspector. Hordak had been expecting one to arrive, but we caught him and took his clothes. Adam couldn't do this as He-Man, because Hordak would recognize him easily, so he did it as Adam. I hid myself under a cape and hood and pretended to be his assistant. We toured the entire Fright Zone with Hordak, and Adam kept up the charade, as well as kept me in line. There were times when I wanted to run to our friends and Adam had to stop me. He was clearly more levelheaded at the time than I was, but then again, that really is the norm. Anyway, Adam talked Hordak into proving that his jail cells were escape proof. Hordak told us to lock him in one, so he could try to break free. We obliged, revealed ourselves to him when we saw that he couldn't escape, and then released our friends. We got everyone dressed in Horde Trooper uniforms and Adam marched us right out the front gate in front of hundreds of Hordesmen." She smiled and looked at her father with tears glistening in her eyes. "He never even hesitated or once complained that it was too dangerous to do as himself. I know he would do anything to help me and the Rebellion. That's how he got such a good reputation. He didn't have to pretend to be a coward on Etheria. They already knew he was a hero from Day One because of his first encounter. We have to remember that most of the friends I have on Etheria were really Adam's first and they had initially trusted me because they trusted Adam. He's the one who changed my life irrevocably for the better, and I will never be able to repay him or the Sorceress for that."

Randor wiped tears from his eyes as he listened to his daughter talk about her brother. The truth in her words and her love for Adam were undeniable. And, he was ashamed to admit it to a certain extent but he was envious of her. "I wish I knew Adam like you do."

She squeezed his hand again and whispered, "You will. You know our secret now, so Adam will have no reason to hide from you, anymore."

He shook his head and countered sadly, "But he'll be leaving soon. He's going with you to Etheria, and there is no way I'll get to know the real Adam in such a short span of time." Tears slipped down his cheeks and he said, "I know it's horrible of me to say this, especially since I love you so much, Adora, and I admire everything you do on Etheria. I'm very proud of you…but I don't want him to go. I don't want you to go, either."

Adora walked around the table and settled into a seat beside her father. She wrapped her arms around him and said, "There's no reason to feel guilty about that! If I were in your shoes, I wouldn't want us to go either, but I promise you, Father, I will look out for Adam. He will come home safe and sound, and you'll have the rest of your lives to get to know each other."

He pulled back with tears still slipping down his cheeks. "I hope so. I hope I'll also have the same opportunity with you."

She hugged him again and replied, "You will."

=)=)=)

Adam had called the lieutenant's comlink to find out where Teela was at that moment. She was supposedly in her father's workshop making a list before dinner of all the supplies she thought her soldiers would need on their mission to Etheria. He knew if his surprise was going to happen, he had to get her now.

So, he stepped into Duncan's workshop quietly and leaned against a counter as he watched Teela and her father sit at one of his tables, examining the list they had before them.

"What kind of First Aid do you think they need and in what quantity? What supplies do you think the Rebellion already has?" he heard Teela ask.

He stepped forward behind them and suggested, "Well, you could just ask my sister."

Both Teela and Man-at-Arms jumped at the sound of another voice in the workshop.

"Adam!" exclaimed Teela as they turned around to face him; "You scared us!"

He smiled and replied, "Obviously, though that wasn't my intention." He walked over and gave her a big hug. He thought about kissing her, but with her father in the room, he decided against it. "So, are you two almost finished with the list of supplies?"

She looked at him suspiciously. "And, just how did you know that was what we were doing?"

He grinned widely and replied, "Because I check up on you. I called your lieutenant and asked." When Teela's mouth dropped open, he exclaimed, "I'm just kidding! I did call your lieutenant to ask where you were, but I wasn't checking up on you!"

"Oh, really," asked Teela playfully, "then why did you call him and not me? Hmm? It sure sounds like you were checking up on me."

Forgetting about Duncan, he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulled her to him, and said seductively, "Because I have a surprise for you and I didn't want you to know I was coming."

Before Teela could respond, Man-at-Arms coughed and said, "Well, I think the list is good enough for now."

Instantaneously, Adam and Teela jumped apart, remembering with intense blushes that they had an audience.

Duncan ignored this and continued to speak. "It would be wise to show Adora the list to get her input, so thanks for the suggestion, Adam. Now, I'll head to the dining room so you can share whatever the surprise is." He walked out of the room quickly and as soon as the door shut, Teela turned to him expectantly.

"Okay, so where is it? Where's the big surprise?" she asked in a manner that told him she was trying to hold back the excitement.

He grinned and slipped his arms around her again. Bending towards her, he met her lips in a passionate kiss that began slowly with the simple movements of their lips but built into a duel of tongues which Adam finally won. When they pulled apart to breathe, he informed her, "I'm the surprise."

"What?" she gasped.

He laughed, knowing she could take those words in many different ways. He took her hand, brought it to her lips, and kissed it softly. "I know I've been busy recently and that my family has been with me constantly, so we haven't spent a lot of time together. I wanted to rectify that this afternoon."

He noticed that Teela was smiling at him brightly, so he smiled back and said, "So, I arranged for us to have a private dinner. I hope you don't mind. If you would rather eat with everyone else, we can still…"

He was silenced by Teela reaching up and kissing him again. When they parted this time, Teela answered, "Of course I don't mind. I've missed you terribly."

"And, I've missed you," he whispered. "So, it's just me and you this afternoon. No parents, sisters, cousins, uncles, or anyone else will be present."

She leaned against him and rested her head on his shoulder as they continued to hold one another. "So, where are we going to get away from everyone?"

He laughed a little and whispered, "You'll see."

=)=)=)

_I hope you enjoyed the chapter!_


	52. First Date

Noticing Adam Chapter 52

As he stood in front of Teela, a wave of uncertainty washed over him. Adam didn't know if she would like what he had planned, but the truth was he had thought about it for the better part of the day and it was the only thing that had seemed to fit all of his criteria for the evening. The hardest thing to decide had been the location. He had wanted it to be some place special that was also secluded so they wouldn't have to worry about anyone interrupting or spying on them. He hoped she would find it at least a little appealing, but first he had to prepare her.

"We have to go to your bedchambers," he announced as he took a hold of her hand and led her to the doorway.

"What?" she asked. "Why are we heading there?"

He looked at her and noticed a faint blush rising on her cheeks. He chuckled a little at her discomfort and answered, "I want you to grab a sweater or get into something a little warmer. We're going to be outside in a slightly colder environment than you're used to."

Teela narrowed her eyes, pulled her arm away from his, and stated firmly, "Now, let's just get one thing straight, Adam!"

He turned around, deeply surprised at her tone as well as her expression. "What?"

She jabbed her finger in his chest a couple of times as she walked closer to him. "I know we're courting now, but that doesn't mean I've suddenly turned into this wilting flower that needs to be taken care of and protected. This is what I usually wear outside at all times of the day and night, so it will suffice now. I'm not changing, so we might as well skip going to my bedchambers."

He gaped at her for a second and then replied, "I don't think you're a wilting flower and I certainly don't think you're unable to take care of yourself, Teela. It's just that it is late in the afternoon, it's going to get a little chilly, and what kind of boyfriend would I be if I took you out in such conditions when I'm completely covered from the neck down and you're not!"

Her blush from earlier deepened from embarrassment, especially when she heard him refer to himself as her boyfriend and basically laid out his "responsibilities" as such. She looked down as she brushed her foot absentmindedly over the tiles on the floor. "Oh, well, I see your point. But trust me. I'll be all right."

He shook his head and rolled his eyes a little. "Fine, Captain," he said exasperatedly, but she could tell he was joking. He stepped away from her a little, looked down the hall in each direction carefully, and spoke aloud, "Open the gate, Sorceress."

Instantly, one appeared in front of him and he extended his hand to her. "Right this way, my lady," he directed softly. Once she took his hand, he pulled her through the gate and when they stepped out, she noticed they were high on a mountain and that they were standing close to the edge. Instantly, she rushed forward into Adam's arms to get away from the cliff.

"Oomph," he huffed half-jokingly as he wrapped his arms around her.

"Where are we?" she asked as she also wrapped her arms around him and turned her head to each side to study where they were. It looked familiar, but she wasn't sure why.

Adam didn't reply; he merely kissed her forehead before making her turn around. When she did, she gasped as he slipped his arms around her again from behind. He placed his lips next to her ear and whispered, "If you don't like it, we can go somewhere else. I just thought we wouldn't be bothered here and I like the view."

Teela leaned back in Adam's arms as he held her and smiled at the Royal Palace in the distance. He had brought her to the very top of Mount Eternia. "No, no," she replied hurriedly, "I like the view, too. What made you think of coming here?"

Adam shrugged, pulled her to face the opposite direction, and stepped beside her. "I don't know. I just…" He trailed off when he heard her gasp again and he instantly smiled. This was the reaction he had been hoping for.

Teela stared at the scene before her. It was obvious someone had spent a lot of time setting this up, and without a doubt she knew that person had to be Adam as He-Man. The last time she had been on Mount Eternia, she had been with He-Man trying to capture an Energy Beast back inside the mountain. At that time, He-Man had cut the top of the mountain off, moved it aside, and then moved it back again once the creature had gone inside.

This time, He-Man had done something else with its top. He had smoothed a portion of it down and placed a table with two chairs there. On the table were a satin tablecloth, two covered dishes, wine, a small candelabrum with lit candles, and a vase filled with red roses.

"Do you like it?" he whispered a little anxiously as she continued to stare. He had expected her to gasp, but he hadn't expected her to stop moving and talking all together. "I'm not exactly too knowledgeable in the art of courting and since I screwed up with wanting to take you to your room to get a sweater, I know I might have messed this up, as well. It's just…"

He couldn't get any more words out, because suddenly Teela's mouth was on his. She pressed their lips together desperately and the contact was so close and fierce that Adam could do nothing more than leave them as they were. Any attempt to move them or return the kiss would have been futile, and he had a feeling she was trying to silence him, anyway.

When she pulled back, tears glistened in her eyes and she whispered intensely, "No, Adam, you got this right. You didn't mess anything up. It's perfect." She grabbed his hand tightly. "I'm sorry I snapped at you earlier. You know how I am." She laughed a little as the wind whipped around them. She then looked at him shyly. "You were right about this location, and it turns out you were right about the sweater, too. I am a little cold." She then averted her eyes to the ground in embarrassment.

He shook his head, laughed a little, and pulled her into his arms. "I'm glad you like it. You had me worried there for a second." He then pulled back from their embrace and said, "Let's get you warmed up."

He led her to the table and pulled out a chair for her. As soon as she sat down, he unbuckled his tunic and dropped his belt to the ground. She gawked at him. "Adam, what are you doing?"

"What's it look like?" he replied amusedly. "I already told you! I'm trying to warm you up!" He winked at her and for a brief moment, he started swaying to some inaudible music and began to pull his tunic off slowly in the same rhythm. As soon as Teela widened her eyes even more, he laughed heartily and finished pulling it off quickly. "Like this…" he added as he draped his tunic over her legs. "Whatever were you thinking, Captain?"

She immediately scowled at him, but she couldn't hold the expression for long as he continued to laugh gleefully. She found herself smiling, chuckling, and saying her usual line when he had joked with her in the past before she had found out he was He-Man: "Oh, Adam!"

He grinned at her for a few moments more before his face grew serious. "Do you need me to go back to the palace to grab a sweater for your arms?" he asked softly. "It will only take a second."

She shook her head and answered, "No, my legs were the main things that were bothering me, so problem solved."

He quickly picked her hand up from the table, brought it to his lips as he bent down and whispered, "Glad to be of service, my lady." He kissed her knuckles softly before retreating to his own seat. When he sat down, they stared at each other for several moments more before Adam grabbed the bottle of wine out of the bucket of ice he had it resting in and poured them each a glass.

=)=)=)

Adora stood inside her bedchambers and paced a little. She didn't know where Adam was, and she was a little worried. Logically, she knew he was okay. She was sure the Sorceress or Adam himself would have contacted her somehow if something had happened. Surely, someone would have seen something. She just didn't like not knowing where he was and why he was there. As she had told him earlier, she didn't like for him to be out of her sight for too long after everything that had happened.

Unfortunately for her, she hadn't seen him since the security meeting had been adjourned. She had stayed with her father to talk and he…she didn't know what he had done. She had spent all afternoon looking for him until her father had sent a guard to tell her (and Adam) to get ready for dinner in their formal wear.

That's another reason why she had wanted to find Adam ahead of time. She was meeting the extended family tonight. Yes, she had already met her grandfather, but now she would be meeting aunts, uncles, and cousins. She had hoped Adam would show up to do what he had done when she left Etheria to meet their parents. He had stayed with her the entire time and told her things about their parents to make her feel as though she already knew them. At the very least, it gave her a heads-up on what to expect. He had calmed her significantly, and if Adam had not been by her side then, she might not have gone into the throne room and shown her face.

In some ways, this meeting was a little more stressful. After all, it was almost a certainty that King Randor and Queen Marlena would love their daughter, despite her concerns at the time, but the same could not be said about the people she would be meeting today. She wouldn't have a bond with these people before they even met like she had with her parents, so they would base their judgments of her on what she presented of herself. What if she made a fool of herself and didn't have perfect Eternian etiquette? This was supposed to be formal tonight, and while Adam had taken the time on a few of his trips to Etheria to show her the proper silverware to use with what meal and things of that nature, she knew she was a bit rusty and had forgotten a lot. She would have liked to go over it again with him as well as learn who everyone was ahead of time.

She took a deep breath and realized she might be a little too dependent on her brother in these situations. She couldn't help it, though. Sometimes she still felt like a stranger on Eternia and her brother's presence always helped to calm her. She was never alone when he was there.

Sighing, she looked at herself in the mirror. She had on the same red flowing dress that she had worn to dinner earlier in the week. She assumed it would be formal enough for this dinner since it was similar to what her mother wore all the time. It would have to do regardless.

She glanced over at the time and saw that she had several minutes to get to the dining room or she would be late. Scurrying outside of her room, she went to Adam's door and knocked. Surely, he had to be there now to get ready for the event.

The door was never answered.

=)=)=)

Teela slipped a piece of fish into her mouth as she observed her surroundings. Adam had brought her to the highest peak on Eternia to have dinner and she couldn't help but be awed at the sublime beauty she saw in every direction. She saw Eternos and the palace to her right. In the far distance to the left she saw the ocean sparkling from the setting sun, and all around she could see lush, green forests and rivers with rushing water. After a few more moments of taking it all in, she looked to Adam with a smile and said, "This is really beautiful, Adam. Thank you so much. I would have never guessed in a million years that you would bring me here for our first official date."

He shrugged as he smiled and replied, "Truthfully, the idea occurred to me late this afternoon, and while I would like to say I picked this with solely you in mind, I must confess that wasn't entirely the case." She raised an eyebrow quizzically, so he explained. "I thought you would enjoy it, but honestly, I also picked the spot so I could…look around at Eternia one last time."

An understanding dawned in her eyes. " _Of course, he's going to Etheria soon. He wants to enjoy being home while he can_ ," she realized. She reached across the table and grabbed his hand comfortingly.

"And, I wanted to share these moments with you," he continued as he squeezed her hand lightly. "When I go to Etheria, I want these memories of you…your beauty surrounded by Eternia's beauty. I think they'll get me through possible bouts of homesickness."

Tears filled her eyes but she didn't let them fall. Instead, she whispered, "I'm going to miss you so much! I don't want you to go!"

"I know," he said sadly; "I don't really want to go myself. I'm going to miss you, Mother, and Father, but there's no other choice really." He then studied her for a few moments. "What's really unfair is that we haven't had much time to court and now I'm leaving the planet. Who knows how long I'll be gone!" He looked down briefly before meeting her eyes again. "Please tell me I won't come home to find that you've replaced me with another guy." He grinned forcibly.

She could tell he was trying to look like he was teasing her, but she could also tell that he was kind of anxious. "Not a chance," she assured him confidently. "I'll wait for you no matter how long it takes."

His grin turned into a genuine smile. "Good," he replied. He stared at her for a few more moments before he released her hand and went back to eating.

Teela didn't follow suit. Instead, she simply observed him while her thoughts ran rampant. She really didn't want Adam to go. She wanted to be selfish and keep him with her on Eternia…and he didn't really want to go either, but he felt obligated. Truthfully, she still had to get used to the fact that Adam was a man who actually did put obligations and responsibilities first, even ahead of his own wants and desires. For so long, she had thought the opposite and she now found herself wishing that the opposite were true. She shook her head as she realized it was really going to happen—Adam was really going to go to Etheria. It might be months before he would be able to return home. She wouldn't even contemplate it being years, even though she knew it was a possibility.

As these thoughts occurred to her, Adam looked at her again and asked worriedly, "Are you okay? Aren't you going to finish eating?"

She looked down at her food for a moment and seemed to scrutinize the plate. "You know what, Adam?" she replied after a few moments and met his gaze. "I changed my mind! I'm not going to wait for you to come home from Etheria! I refuse to do that!"

Adam widened his eyes apprehensively. He stood up, prepared to plead with her if he had to, but his words fell silent as he heard hers.

"I'm going with you! It's as simple as that, and I'm NOT taking 'no' for an answer! Despite the fact that you'll have your sister with you, you and I—regardless of whether you are Adam or He-Man—have always been together. I'm your partner. You've already told me in the past that there is no one you'd rather have at your side than me, so how can we even contemplate my not going? It solves your problem completely."

"Teela…" Adam began.

"No!" she snapped firmly, hearing a negation in his tone. "We don't want to be apart, and you know you won't miss Eternia nearly as badly with Cringer and me with you on Etheria. We've always been your main companions aside from Father, and you know having both of us there would make a lot of things easier for you! At the very least, you won't have to worry about our lack of courting…"

Adam walked to her side of the table, knelt down beside her, and grabbed her hand. "Teela, I don't want you to feel like you have to go. I know you want to console me, but I promise I won't worry about you courting another guy…well, at least not when I'm fighting." He grinned a little. "And, I won't let homesickness get to me. It's not like I can't visit. I visit Adora all the time, so I'm sure I'll have time to come home from time to time when I'm there."

She shook her head. " **I** want to go, Adam! I want to be with you! And, you know as well as I do that I can be a real asset to the rebellion." When he opened his mouth to interject, she snapped, "And, don't you dare bring up that I'm Captain of the Guard! I'm going to have to give that up anyway to be with you, so it doesn't make a difference if I'm away now. My absence from the Guard was going to happen regardless."

Adam closed his mouth and she nodded triumphantly. "I'm going," she repeated resolutely.

=)=)=)


	53. Connections

Noticing Adam Chapter 53

Adora stood outside the dining room and listened to the voices within. She was trying to distinguish Adam's from the rest but was unable to. She began to worry that he wasn't in there at all and that something really had happened to him. Taking a deep breath, she walked in and gasped at the sight before her.

Usually, the dining room table had plenty of room to spare. The Royal Family, along with Duncan, Teela, and Orko, covered only a fourth—if that—of the enormous piece of furniture. Now, however, the usual table was replaced by an even larger one and almost every seat was filled except for one at the front of the table next to her mother and one next to her father. She knew those belonged to her and Adam. She could already tell who was assigned where because the women were on one side while the men were on the other even though they were at the head of everyone and obviously the center of attention.

Sighing, she walked farther inside the room and immediately went to the queen. She sat down quickly and asked, "Mother, where's Adam?"

Marlena turned startled eyes to her daughter and replied, "I thought he was with you all day." Adora shook her head, and as both women crumpled their faces with worry, Randor looked over at them merrily. As soon as he saw their expressions, though, his mirth immediately vanished. "Marlena? Adora? What's wrong?"

All conversation at the front of the table immediately silenced and eyes focused on the Royal Family.

Adora noticed their stillness and announced softly so everyone wouldn't hear, "I haven't seen Adam since we left the security meeting this morning! I thought he might have been with one of you or something, but he's not. Father, he's missing again!"

Randor immediately stood, along with King Miro, who was close enough to hear their conversation. The queen also stood, and before Randor could do or say anything, she grabbed her husband's arms and said frantically, "Oh, Randor, what if they've taken him again? We've already come so close to losing him. Please…"

Her words were interrupted by a sound coming from the corner of the room. Cringer had cleared his throat and walked to the head of the table. "A-Adam's all right. He told me to tell you if you asked that he's having a private dinner with Teela. He said he's spent all of his time with you guys recently, so he wanted a little t-time with just her."

"Oh," Randor said after a moment and with a wrinkled brow sat down abruptly. He stared at Cringer for a second more and then turned his attention to Marlena, who had also taken her seat. He leaned in closely and whispered, "I know I've had a habit of blowing things out of proportion in the past with Adam, but…I think I have a little right to be upset now, don't you think? Adam knows we have guests that he hasn't seen in a while. He knows we're having a family dinner and he simply takes off with Teela without telling anyone, not even me, you, or his sister."

Marlena nodded a little and answered, "Yes, you have a right, but I'm sure Adam isn't looking at it that way." She gestured towards the table and said, "He's probably thinking we have a big crowd so he could make himself scarce and spend a little one-on-one time with the girl he just started courting. You can't blame him for that, but even then, he should have told us so we wouldn't worry. He should know because of what happened that we wouldn't like him suddenly disappearing. Too much has happened and we know too much for him to continue that habit now."

Randor nodded and agreed, "You're quite right, my dear, and I'm going to have a little talk with him about that tonight." Before anyone could say anything, he added, "Don't worry. I won't let my temper get the best of me. I don't want his last few days on this planet before his mission to be filled with memories of us fighting. I refuse to do that to him, but he still needs to know he made an unwise decision."

With a nod from Marlena and Adora, Randor dismissed the topic from his mind temporarily and addressed the table. "Everyone, please settle down for a moment. I have a few things to say before we begin to dine. First and foremost, I want to thank all of you for coming to my aid and helping me get my son back. That means more to me than you know. I'm sorry to announce that Prince Adam will not be joining us, but I assure you that he will for breakfast in the morning. He was needed elsewhere this afternoon, but I am pleased to finally have the opportunity to introduce all of you to my daughter."

He went to Adora and said, "Before dinner starts, let me introduce you to some of our family members."

She swallowed roughly, got up from her seat, and thought, " _I wish Adam was here!_ "

=)=)=)

Adam wanted to smile as he stared at the sometimes contumacious Captain of the Guard. He had suspected for some time that this moment would come, and honestly he was surprised it hadn't before now. Part of him had wanted to ask Teela to join him, but he hadn't wanted to be selfish. He knew he would have been asking her to leave her father, her home, and her job. That was asking a lot, especially since they had just begun to court. But, they knew each other their whole lives so the latter thing didn't really matter. They'd already do anything for one another even if they weren't courting…

Honestly, he was glad she decided to join him on her own. He knew there would be some difficulties in store for them on Etheria, but he also knew she was exactly right. Things would be more bearable to him with her there. He had friends on Etheria and he did enjoy being there, but it wasn't his home and having Teela, his lifelong friend, there would be a comfort.

He stood from his kneeling position and took her hand. At his slight tug, she got to her feet and he immediately pulled her into his arms. "As long as you're sure this is what you want, it's fine with me," he told her. "I won't complain at all."

She grinned and snapped playfully, "You better not!" She then kissed him softly at first, but then it progressed into something more that left her completely breathless by the time they pulled their mouths apart. Without fearing the answer because she was sure she already knew it, she asked, "You don't mind, do you? Because I can stay if you don't want me there."

He stared into his eyes and replied, "You can ask that after that kiss? Maybe I'll have to do it again." He leaned down, pressed his lips against hers firmly, and nipped her bottom lip playfully before seeking entrance with his tongue. By the time they pulled back again, Teela was out of questions.

"Yes, well…I have my answer now," she stated with a blush.

Adam laughed loudly. When he quieted down, though, he said, "Seriously, I'm glad you want to go. Things will be better with you there. Now, we just have to break the news to our parents."

"I think Father will see this coming," commented Teela, confidently, "so that'll be easy. He knows me well, so I'm sure he saw this coming."

Of that, Adam didn't have any doubt since he had, as well. Continuing to grin and not wanting to focus on their mission in Etheria, he said, "So, that's settled. What do you want to do after we finish our meal?"

She shrugged and answered, "We could stay up here for a while and talk. I have a feeling that starting tomorrow, things are going to get quite busy for us."

He nodded. "Yes, that's probably true. We do have the celebration, after all. But we also need to be ready to go at a moment's notice, so it would be wise to pack tomorrow, too. As soon as Adora is ready, we'll head back to Etheria immediately."

Teela eyed him curiously for a moment. "I was actually meaning to ask you about that."

"About what?" He truly had no idea what she was talking about.

"Well, don't get me wrong, I'm glad you and Adora have decided to stay on Eternia for a little while longer, but the truth is I thought you would have wanted to go after Hordak and Skeletor right away."

He sighed and gestured back to her chair for her to sit down. She complied as he did the same. "I did want to go right away," he admitted, "but it's not a good time for Adora. And, I suspect that it wouldn't be easy for Mother and Father for me to just run off to Etheria after everything that's happened. I know that without a doubt in my mind, because they're already trying to smother me." He laughed a little. "I suppose getting away from that is one of the good things about going to Etheria."

She giggled in response. Then, she said playfully, "You do know that's going to happen on Etheria, too, right?"

At his arched brow, she informed him, "Between Adora and me, we're probably going to drive you crazy. I have a feeling that she is just as protective of you now as I am. But anyway, why is it not the right time for her? I thought she would want to go back soon. I mean, I know she's the Princess of Eternia, but Etheria is her home."

He pursed his lips for a moment at her words. He didn't like hearing them. First of all, they made him worry about Adora and her mental state. Also, he didn't like the notion of Etheria being Adora's home. Those words brought up a lot of worry and anxiety that he didn't want to contemplate until Etheria was free. Taking a deep breath to steady himself, he answered her. "She's having nightmares about me dying. What happened outside Snake Mountain has really shaken her—she doesn't want me out of her sight…which she's probably going to be angry about when we get home. I didn't tell her I was bringing you here, but I wanted to be alone with no one telling us 'no' and trying to stop us."

Teela reached across the table and squeezed his hand. "You can't blame her or anyone else for wanting to keep you in their sights, though. I remember that moment, too. I've had a few nightmares about it myself. I had you in my arms, frantically searching for a heartbeat and not finding one. I remember crying for Father and hoping desperately that he would find one. I had never been so scared in my entire life. I thought for a short while that we had lost you."

He frowned and with a shake of his head said, "I'm so sorry, Teela. I know that must have been painful for you." He thought about his sister and then stated absentmindedly, "It was probably a million times worse for Adora."

Teela immediately raised her brow. "What makes you say that?"

Realizing what he had muttered, he replied, "Oh! Well…we're twins."

"And?" She still had her brow raised.

Because of her response, he quickly wondered if she was offended by his comment. Knowing that she probably was, he sighed and explained, "I know it might seem unbelievable to you, and maybe it's augmented by our powers from Castle Grayskull, but Adora and I are connected in a lot of ways. I've attributed it mainly to us being twins, because I've felt her my entire life even though I didn't know it was her."

Teela's expression melted away. Now, she just listened.

"It's hard to explain, really. Remember when I was really young, sometimes I would just cry for no reason and I would tell you a part of me feels sad…or I'd feel extremely happy and have no idea why." He grinned. "When I met Adora and realized who she really was, the pieces fell into place and I knew that part of myself was her. And, that's not wishful thinking in wanting a bond with my sister, because she has used that place within herself to call me to her when she's been in danger and I always knew where to find her because of that place in me. It's…truly amazing sometimes."

He paused before staring at her seriously without looking away. "Adora said she felt me die, and I don't doubt for one second that's true." Teela gasped and he nodded in response. "She said she had wanted to die with me, and she had very nearly laid down and let Skeletor's men defeat her. The only thing that stopped her was the idea that she could save me."

Tears slipped down his cheeks. "If the reverse had happened, I don't know how I would have handled it. I do know that I don't have the power to heal, so I fear my response would have been to lie down and let them kill me. Our bond is strong, Teela, so I can't even imagine how my death must have felt to her. I know it must have been horrible, so that's why I made my earlier comment. I didn't mean to imply that your feelings were any less important than Adora's or that she loves me more than you or any other such nonsense. After all, you and I love one another, so the loss would have been…horrible, but what Adora felt was physical as well as emotional, I'm sure. We haven't talked extensively about it, but I know how I've felt in the past when she's, for the lack of a better term, transmitting, so I know the sensation had to be overwhelming for her, at least in that particular moment..."

A few tears slipped down her cheeks as she watched Adam cry. She could never stand to see him upset, so she stood, went around the table, and sat in his lap when he scooted his chair back. They wrapped their arms around one another as she observed, "I don't know if I would have survived that. Without even being able to feel you in the way that you're describing, I was hysterical at that moment—it nearly drove me crazy. Your sister is a strong woman."

"She is," Adam agreed as he wiped his eyes and then hers. "Anyway, I didn't think it was wise for us to go to Etheria to fight the Horde while everyone is still so emotional. We might end up making mistakes, which really could get someone killed…permanently, so I suggested that we stay a little longer. I do hate having to ask members of the Guard to do the work I wanted to do, but I had to make a decision and I made it. I just hope no one gets hurt while they're there in my stead."

She could make no promises on that one to comfort him. Her men were good, but Adam already knew that or he wouldn't have asked them to help no matter the circumstances. So, instead of saying something pointless, she simply dropped her head to his shoulder and tightened her hold on him.

He did the same.

=)=)=)

King Randor brought Adora to the right side of the table and said, "Adam told me he's already introduced you officially to your grandfather."

King Miro stood, despite having seen her earlier; hugged her; and told his son, "That's certainly true, but it's always good to greet my beautiful granddaughter."

Adora smiled but fidgeted when the man seated beside Miro stood and faced them.

Randor whispered to her, "Now, this is someone you haven't met officially as yourself." He placed a hand on Adora's back and moved her forward. "Adora, this is my brother and your uncle, Stefen. He's the ruler of a kingdom near the ocean called Dyperia."

"Pleased to meet you," Stefen said as he reached out and shook her hand.

"It's nice to meet you," she greeted, but her attention was quickly grabbed by a guy with brown hair that was around her age, who also stood and turned to meet her. He stood beside King Stefen and extended his hand.

"I'm Dal," he said before her father had a chance to introduce him. "We're cousins. I'm King Stefen's son."

Adora nodded and replied, "It's nice to meet you, too." As another young man, who looked to be in perhaps his early teens, walked up beside him, she asked Dal, "And, who is this?" She hoped she sounded calm and friendly. She wanted her father's family to like her, but she certainly did feel like a fish out of water. She hoped they didn't pick up on that.

Prince Dal merely smiled at her and said, "This is also one of your cousins. His name is Jeremy."

She extended her hand and introduced herself, "Hi, I'm Adora." She took in the boy's appearance and compared him to Dal. They didn't look like brothers: Dal had light brown hair and Jeremy's was as black as obsidian rock. But, she knew one could never be sure, so she decided to ask. "Are you two brothers?"

The two boys immediately laughed and after a moment, Dal replied jokingly, "No way, and trust me, I'm glad he's not." Jeremy glared at him and gave him a shove, but he ignored it. He grinned and continued to talk to Adora. "He's also my cousin. You'll meet his parents in a second…I don't want to steal all of Uncle Randor's thunder."

"And, I appreciate that very much," King Randor replied with a bright smile.

As her father put his hand at the small of her back, she realized they were probably going to go to each person there. At that moment, she wished more than ever that Adam was with her. He would have been making jokes to free the tension and formality of the introductions. She simply would have felt more at ease. Even though she now knew where Adam was and why, she reached deep into herself and asked the question, " _Where are you_?" She didn't know if Adam would feel her anxiety, but part of her wished he would. She knew she was being a little self-centered, wanting him there to make things easier for herself, but she couldn't help the need. She would not only have someone help her with these greetings, she would also know for sure that he was okay and not in immediate danger. She wished again that he was there with her.

=)=)=)


	54. Comfort and Pain

Noticing Adam Chapter 54

The feeling was abrupt and intense, so much so that Adam popped his head away from Teela's shoulder in an almost violent motion. He ceased all movement and focused within himself. He felt uncomfortable, like he was doing an activity he would have preferred to avoid all together. Then, he felt lonely and worried…

These emotions were coming from Adora.

He didn't know what was wrong exactly, but he could take a guess. His parents were having a dinner party with a lot of their extended family present at that very moment. Without a doubt, his father wanted to introduce Adora to everyone, and he knew how much she worried about those occasions. She always felt uneasy and out of place when meeting new relatives or people he was close to. He could understand why: she would feel pressured to be liked and accepted by everyone she was introduced to since they were close to her twin or her parents. She wanted to fit in on Eternia.

Of course, that didn't explain why she felt lonely. He knew the room would be filled with people, so why would she feel alone? A possibility wiggled in the back of his mind and as it worked its way to the forefront of his thoughts, he frowned and exhaled sharply. Maybe it wasn't loneliness she felt—maybe it was abandonment. She felt abandoned by him. Adora had visited Eternia only a few times since he had brought her home for the first time, and during those times, he had been with her ninety-five percent of the time. He knew he was a comfort to her while on Eternia…or any time really.

His thoughts were interrupted by Teela's sharp cry, "Adam, answer me! What's wrong?"

He realized she had been asking him for almost a minute now, so he swallowed roughly and stated, "We have to go back to the palace. Adora needs me."

Her eyes immediately widened more than they already were. "Why? What's going on?"

He shook his head and answered honestly, "I'm not sure exactly, but I think she's feeling a little overwhelmed at the party. I know she'd feel more comfortable if I were there with her."

"Oh," she replied. She couldn't help but feel a little disappointed but she understood. When it came to the twins, she realized she would have to be patient about a lot of things. First of all, she knew Adora was still adjusting to Eternia and meeting new people. Of course, she would want her brother with her. After all, if she ever met her mother's family, whoever they were, she would want her father right there with her the entire time. Also, she knew Adora was still worried about Adam and as he explained earlier, she didn't want him out of her sight for too long. He had spent the better part of the day away from the palace, so she should have expected Adora to call out to her brother, especially when Adam told her of this ability.

Regardless of her disappointment, she knew she had to put that aside for Adam. He wouldn't like having to choose between his girlfriend and his sister. He definitely wouldn't like them competing for time with him. She put on the best smile she could manage, got to her feet, and exclaimed, "Well, we better hurry then, so you can help her!" She pulled him to his feet and pushed him along. She was trying to be as supportive as she could be.

Once they were standing in front of the spot where the gate had been earlier, Adam called out, "Sorceress." Just like before, the gate appeared instantly and they both walked through it.

=)=)=)

Stepping out of the portal, Adam turned to Teela and stated, "I'm sorry to have ended our dinner so abruptly. I should have thought things out a bit better. I was only thinking about spending a little time with you."

She smiled and replied calmly, "Well, I can hardly get mad at you for that. Don't worry about it, Adam. I understand. You explained to me how things are with Adora, and if you know what she is feeling right now and you know you can alleviate it, how can I be selfish and stop you? We'll have plenty of time to be together, especially when we go to Etheria."

He nodded as he pulled her into his arms. He kissed her softly on the lips and then pulled back to stare into her eyes. "Thank you for being so understanding."

She pushed on him a little and ordered teasingly, "Go on! Get into that dining room with all the other royals! Save your sister, hero!"

He grinned and laughed a little in reply. "Yes, ma'am," he said. He then proceeded to walk down the hall to do exactly that. Just before he turned the corner, though, he turned to look at her one more time. She simply smiled at him and made a shooing sound and motion with her hands. He widened his smile and then left. As soon as he was gone, her smile disappeared with a sigh.

=)=)=)

Adam stepped before the dining room doors and immediately heard all of the chaos going on inside. Predictably, his family was being loud and celebratory, and of course, to a person who hardly knew anyone, especially those that were her own age, that had to be a little intimidating. Sighing to prepare himself for whatever response he would get from Adora and his parents, he stepped inside.

No one else seemed to notice he was there. Everyone was lost in their own loud conversations…everyone except his father and Adora. They were currently walking around the end of the table to go onto the ladies' side. He grimaced as he realized his father had probably introduced her to every guy in the room. While he could understand his father's enthusiasm and desire to do so, introducing her to this many people was a bit much. How would she ever keep it straight? It would only make her feel worse when she saw these people again and didn't remember who they were.

Walking farther into the room, he slowly made his way to the end of the table and tried his best to remain unseen. As soon as he stepped to the corner of the ladies' side, a few of his cousins, aunts, and uncles saw him, but he held a finger to his mouth to keep them quiet. He stepped right behind Adora, plastered a smile on his face, and whispered in her ear something that he had said to her a couple of times while helping her with Hordak: "Don't worry, your brother is here."

She jumped but that didn't stop her immediate response afterward. She turned around and threw herself into his arms. "Adam!" she exclaimed, wrapping her arms around his waist and burying her head under his chin. "I'm so happy you're here!"

He squeezed her tightly as he watched his father turn around and also grin at him. "So, you decided to show your face after all, huh?" asked King Randor.

He nodded and didn't explain his real reason for showing up. He knew if he stated the truth, it would hurt his father. Instead, he pulled back from Adora a little and when she pulled her head away from his chest to look up at him, he whispered softly, "Are you all right?"

"Of course, I am," she replied with a forced smile.

He looked at her a bit skeptically and replied, "You can't lie to your twin brother, you know. Why do you think I'm here? My sister calls and I come running—that's kind of how this has always worked, after all." He grinned at her playfully.

Happy that he didn't seem annoyed with her, Adora smiled and hugged him again. "Thank you so much for coming. I didn't mean to take you away from Teela, but…"

She couldn't finish her statement because Adam shook his head and said, "Don't worry about it. Teela understands far more than you know. I had a talk with her this afternoon about you and me." He paused, looked around, and then whispered, "But we'll talk about that later. For now, let me rescue you!"

He stepped back and exclaimed, "Wow! It's getting late! I bet everyone is ready to eat!"

When he heard several people agree, he smiled at his father as he wrapped an arm around Adora's shoulders. "Well, we can't starve our guests, Father. Adora has met enough people for one afternoon, don't you think?" He didn't wait for the king to respond. He pulled Adora to the head of the table and pulled the chair out for her.

When Adora sat down, she turned to him and mumbled, "Thank you."

"Anytime," he replied with a wink.

=)=)=)

Even though Adam had already eaten with Teela, he picked at the food the servers had placed before him. He hadn't finished his earlier meal thankfully, so he wasn't overstuffing himself now.

Things had calmed down significantly for Adora once he had arrived. He no longer felt any anxiety coming from her and she didn't seem upset that he hadn't been there earlier. For that, he was grateful, because he had actually worried about it after he realized what he had done inadvertently. His father had stated that he wanted to talk to him a little later about his decision to take Teela to dinner, and while he knew his father was slightly annoyed by his actions, he could tell that the king had no intention of blowing up at him. Luckily, things had calmed down since everything had started. His father and he were no longer on a short fuse and ready to go off at any second. That seemed to be true for everyone right now.

Truthfully, he wasn't sure why everyone was so amenable when things had seemed so unbearable not so long ago. He had wondered that since things had gotten better, but he hadn't had the time to ask or think about it. Now, he could. Did everyone simply calm down on their own or was it something else? Really, he wondered if everyone was going out of their way to be happy or civil because of what had happened to him at Snake Mountain…or any of the other times earlier or later. Maybe it was a combination? That's what bothered him now.

Regardless of the reason, everything kept going back to the moment he had supposedly died, or so it seemed. At first he had wanted to forget about it ever happening, and he had done a fairly good job, but it kept getting brought back up by people again and again. He couldn't blame them, though. He knew they had been worried about him and that they still were.

The truth was he didn't remember what had taken place all that well despite having talked about it with Adora and Teela recently. He did remember seeing Skeletor aim his Havoc Staff at his father and realizing that he had never felt so scared in his life. He had known at that time that it was probable that he would one day have to live without his father…but he hadn't wanted to face that so soon. The inevitability of losing him had always frightened Adam and he had wanted to do anything at that moment to prevent it if he could.

And, he had. He just hadn't realized the cost would be so great. Truthfully, he hadn't even thought about it much beforehand. He just knew he had to protect his father and that he would be able to withstand the hit better than him. Of course, now he knew he hadn't been able to withstand it at all either. He had heard the story several times now from the perspectives of his father, Adora, and Teela. All of them seemed to be traumatized by the event and that was readily obvious by the looks they kept flashing his way every second of the day while he was in their presence, which was most of the time.

Adam realized he needed to stop thinking about the event while he was at the dinner table and in his family's presence, because he knew he was upsetting himself a little. Unfortunately, he found himself remembering more and getting more upset by the second...

He remembered staring into his father's eyes, feeling relieved that he had saved the king. Shortly thereafter, he had noticed the lack of pain throughout his body despite the massive hit he knew he had taken. He then remembered trying to hold on to his father to continue to protect him before he fell to the ground…

He squeezed his eyes shut as he relived his fall and unbidden, his thoughts turned to the memory of his father holding onto him desperately a few days later as Hordak tried to pull him back underground. At that particular moment, he had been ready to let go, so he wouldn't drag his father down with him. Who knows what would have happened after that! Hordak would have either caught him or he would have fallen to his death or at least a very bad injury.

He honestly didn't know why he was thinking about all of this now. He was beginning to feel a little ridiculous worrying over things past, and again he attempted to stop himself. He opened his eyes and stared straight ahead of him trying to think of a different topic to contemplate, but he found it difficult. He now had to wonder if it was all finally hitting him that he had almost lost his father and died multiple times in a very short span of time. He rubbed his face with his hands and tried to calm himself. He couldn't allow everyone's worries and memories to drive him to a breaking point and he knew that's probably what was happening now, because he finally had the time to think about everything that had happened and what everyone had told him about their feelings and reactions to everything. His "holiday" seemed to be working against him now.

He took a deep breath and dropped his head to his hand which was propped up on the table when he heard someone call his name. He closed his eyes again. When he heard his name once more, he realized it was Adora. He opened his eyes when he felt someone grab his hand and squeeze it tightly. He turned in her direction and saw that both of his parents were looking at him worriedly, his father was the one who was grabbing his hand, and Adora was walking to him hurriedly.

"Adam, what's wrong?" they all asked simultaneously.

"Nothing," he answered as Adora bent by his chair and gripped his forearm. "I was just thinking."

"Thinking about what?" Randor asked.

He didn't want to tell them—he didn't want to upset them and he knew that's what would happen. He shook his head again and repeated, "Nothing."

"Adam," stated Randor sternly.

Knowing that he was about to upset everyone with his silence, he knew he had to tell the truth. Only, he would try to downplay it, so they wouldn't worry so much. "I was thinking about those times when I almost…died," he replied calmly.

His family immediately gasped. "Why would you think about that?" his father inquired fretfully.

Adora simply stood and then bent over to hug him tightly. He hugged back and assured them, "It's not a big deal, really. I just remembered Adora and Teela talking about it earlier and my memories just sort of came to me."

"You don't need to be remembering that, Adam," his sister whispered as she kissed him on the cheek. "I remember enough for the both of us." She hugged him again and he could hear her begin to sniffle.

" _Oh, no! I'm not making her cry, am I?_ " he thought to himself. He saw out the corner of his eye that she had brought her hand to up to wipe her face. Yep, he had upset her. "I'm sorry," he stated to all of them. "I didn't mean to upset any of you or remind you of what happened."

Adora shook her head and stated firmly, "Don't apologize. I know it's unreasonable to ask you not to remember. Just know that I'm willing to lend an ear if you ever want to talk about it."

"Right back at you," he replied with a small smile. "Seriously, I'm okay."

As they all nodded at him, Adam blushed when he realized most of the table were looking at them. Fortunately though, everyone became distracted by an officer running into the room. "Your Majesties!" the soldier exclaimed, approaching the table rapidly.

"Yes, Geno, what is it?" the queen asked.

"One of the guards stationed on Etheria just arrived a few minutes ago to give us our status report. There seems to have been a bit of unexpected trouble outside the Whispering Woods."

Adam and Adora immediately stood. "What happened?" they asked frantically.

The guard turned to them and replied, "There was an ambush while the rebels were getting supplies in Thelmore. They've caught several our men, as well as members of the Rebellion."

Adam and Adora looked at each other for a moment before the prince turned to his parents and announced, "I'm afraid we don't have a choice. Adora and I have to go to Etheria now." He locked eyes with King Randor and said softly, "I'm so sorry, Father, to cut our time short."

The king immediately stood and looked from his son to his daughter and back again silently. As the tears gathered in his father's eyes, Adam bowed his head a little and grimaced. He didn't know what his father was about to say or do, but he knew it was going to be heartbreaking one way or another. It couldn't be helped, though. Adora and he were needed on Etheria and there was nothing any of them could do to change that.


	55. The Time Has Come

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, it's been quite a ride with this story, hasn't it? In case, you haven't noticed, yes, this is the final chapter. Now, there are several important announcements at the end so make sure you check them out even though some will be pretty obvious by the time you get there. Anyway, I started this story when I was younger and left it for a long time—years, in fact—but I'm glad I found my way back to it to finish it up. I hope everyone enjoyed it and will join me for other fics in the future. You guys are awesome, and it is because of you, your support, and your enthusiasm that made this story possible! I'm going to miss "Noticing Adam," but like I said, I hope some of you will join me on other He-Man adventures. *winks*

Noticing Adam Chapter 55

Adam waited for his father's reaction to the news, but all he heard was a deep sigh. He looked up and saw a few tears slip down the king's cheeks. "I guess you need to go pack," he whispered. He noticed that the king swallowed roughly after he said this, and he knew his father was having a very hard time with the unexpected events.

He reached out and squeezed Randor's hand. "Thank you, Father," he replied softly, not wanting to make things any harder for anyone. "Adora and I will see you in a few after we get through packing." He then looked to his sister and motioned with his head for her to follow him.

As soon as they left the dining room and shut the door, he observed, "This is going to be hard on our parents."

They began to walk through the halls to go back to their bedchambers and Adora replied, "There isn't anything we can do about that unless you stay behind. That might make things easier for them."

He shook his head. "No, that's not an option," he stated sadly; "The Rebellion and you need me. Hordak has some of our friends and members of the Eternian Army. We have to get them back, and I refuse to let you do that alone, especially since Skeletor is there and we have no idea if he's working with Hordak or not."

She sighed as pounded her fist into her palm in frustration. "Yeah, I know," she agreed. "I just wish this didn't have to happen so soon. I would have liked to have spent more time on Eternia now that everyone is getting along. We actually felt like a whole family again."

He frowned. "Yeah, I hate that we have to leave, too." He arrived to his bedchamber door and asked, "So, what are you going to take with you?"

She shrugged. "Nothing, just you and Spirit. Remember, I brought nothing but the clothes on my back. All my things are already on Etheria. I'm just going to change out of this dress and into my normal attire."

He gave her a soft smile and said, "Well, good. Then, you can do me a favor after you change clothes."

"What's that?"

"You can go find Teela and tell her to get packed right away. She's coming with us."

"What?" gasped Adora in surprise. "When was this decided?"

"Today, at dinner," he answered. "I really don't have time to explain, Adora. Just trust me. Teela will be invaluable to the Rebellion and the fight we must face. I trust her with my life, and she will make things easier for me…and the rest of us."

She stared at him for a few moments and then relented. "If you say so, brother. There's nothing I can really say to argue with that, now can I? The more the merrier, after all." She looked down the hall and continued, "But I think I'll find Teela before I change my clothes. That way, she'll have a little extra time to get packed since this is so unexpected." She hugged her brother and stated, "I'll be back soon."

He nodded and watched as she walked away.

=)=)=)

Adora chastised herself as she walked through the halls. She didn't know why it had come as such a shock that Teela would be accompanying them to Etheria. She should have guessed. After all, she was her brother's girlfriend, and she was one of Eternia's best warriors. Adam was right: she really would be invaluable to the Rebellion. She didn't have a doubt about that in her mind.

It's just that she couldn't help being a little disappointed. She knew it was wrong, but part of her was glad her brother had decided to join her on Etheria. Since he had made the suggestion, she had been looking forward to spending time with him to get to know him even better. After all, they wouldn't be fighting every second of the day. It would be just like one of his visits except longer, and since it was longer, there would be more downtime for him than they were used to while he was on the planet. She longed to know what it would be like to have family with her on a regular basis.

Teela's presence would change things. How much, she wasn't sure. If she hadn't come along, she knew Adam and she would spend almost all of their time together. But now that the Captain of the Guard was coming, she knew Teela would steal some of those moments away. Of course, they would want some time alone together. And, with Adam being the only person she truly knew on the planet, she would want to spend all of her time with him, as well.

Not to mention, they both didn't want Adam out of their sights. Oh, she knew that without even having to talk to Teela.

But she knew she had to put all the disappointment aside. Teela meant a lot to Adam and vice versa, so both of them had to accept that if they were going to get along. It was a necessity.

Finally arriving at Teela's bedchamber door, she knocked on it softly and heard a voice within yell, "Just a minute!"

Soon, the door was opening and Teela widened her eyes to see who had visited her. She looked around and said, "Adora! What are you doing here? Is everything okay with Adam?"

Adora blinked a little. Yep, Teela was just as worried and paranoid about Adam as she was. "He's fine," she assured her. "I'm afraid I do have some bad news, though: one of the guards just returned from Etheria to tell us that some of my friends and your men have been captured by Hordak. Adam has decided to leave right away to help." She paused for a moment and said softer, "He told me you're coming with us and sent me to tell you to get packed."

Teela nodded at her and stated, "Luckily, I was already packing before you even arrived. I had a feeling something like this would happen and I wanted to be prepared."

Adora looked down at the ground for a second before looking back up and smiling gratefully. "Well, that's good news. Um, we'll be meeting in Adam's room as soon as you're ready. We'll get our things together there before we say our goodbyes to everyone."

"Sounds good to me," the captain replied. "I'll be there in a few minutes. Thanks for letting me know, Adora."

She nodded and said, "You're welcome. See you then." She abruptly turned around and made her way back to Adam's bedchamber. She hoped everyone hurried, because the longer they stayed on Eternia, the longer her friends stayed in Hordak's clutches.

=)=)=)

Both Adam and Teela decided to bring only the essentials: personal items such as toothbrushes, other toiletries, and things of that nature, as well as several different outfits, so they wouldn't be wearing the same clothes constantly. Truth be told, it was the bare minimum. Adam decided if he needed anything else, he could always buy it in one of the nearby towns.

After Teela, Adora, and he had left his bedroom, he ordered a nearby guard to take their things and Spirit to an AttakTrak and to wait for them there. He knew he couldn't do as he had done before when he left for Snake Mountain that first time. He couldn't simply leave without saying a word to anyone. He didn't know how long he would be gone and it wouldn't be right to do that to his parents, especially since he had no idea what might happen while he was gone.

He stepped into the throne room with his sister and Teela and immediately noticed the gloomy atmosphere. Both of his parents sat on the throne and they looked like they would break down into tears at any moment. Adora and he approached the throne as Teela went to her father who stood a little to the side of the throne next to Orko and Cringer. Cringer quickly came to join him in the center of the throne room.

"I thought you might still be up," he called out to his parents. He knew without a doubt that would be the case, but he used the words to open the conversation.

They looked down at him and Randor replied, "Well, I have to see my children off…don't I?" In the brief pause, the king had taken a deep breath to stay calm.

Adam nodded and then glanced at Adora. She pressed her lips together and he knew what she was thinking. She felt just as sad as their parents about their departure. He did, too.

He rubbed the back of his neck and said, "Adora, Teela, Cringer, and I will be leaving tonight…as soon as we get through speaking with you. We already have someone loading an AttakTrak for us."

At that moment, Marlena brought her knuckles to her mouth, and he knew she did it to stop herself from sobbing. He grimaced as he felt tears rush to his eyes. He thought he could handle this without getting overly emotional, but since his parents were unable to do so, he knew he wouldn't be able to either. He wiped a tear from his eyes and took a deep breath. "I'm going to miss you," he called out before he dropped his head a little.

He heard a soft commotion in front of him and soon, he found himself in both of his parents' arms. They held him tightly as the queen cried. "Why does Hordak always successfully keep us apart?" she sobbed softly. She looked to Adora and held her hand out. Adora joined them and they end up in a four way hug. Marlena continued to sniffle to try to rein in her emotions, but it was difficult, especially when she added, "And, now, he's taking both of my babies away from me."

The twins flinched a little. Adam looked at her and then his father. The king had a single tear slipping down his cheek and he sighed as he looked back to her mother. "Don't worry, Mother. Adora and I will be back, I promise. Soon enough, Hordak and Skeletor will never be able to tear us apart again. You must believe that."

Adora nodded and added, "Adam's right. This is our chance to finish this once and for all. This is a good thing, and we'll be much happier in the long run."

Marlena nodded and replied, "I know this already. I just wish you didn't have to go. I'm going to miss you both so much." She dropped her head to Adora's shoulder as both Adora and Randor tightened their holds on her.

"I wish we didn't have to go, too," whispered Adam, "but we must. It's our…destiny." He shook his head. "As cheesy as it sounds, it's true. Going to Etheria feels right—like this was supposed to happen." He glanced to his sister and said, "I have a feeling this is the time that we're going to free that planet once and for all. I know it."

Adora nodded and agreed, "I feel it, too."

The king stepped away from the hug and faced in the opposite direction for a moment.

"Father?" the twins called out as Marlena said his name.

He turned back around and said, "I know that your feelings are accurate. Adam, when you…got hurt at Snake Mountain, the Spirit of Grayskull told me you would free Etheria and Eternia with your family and friends by your side." He glanced over at Adora and Teela for a moment. "This could very well be the start of that for Etheria."

The prince nodded. "But that doesn't make this any easier," he commented.

"No, it doesn't." Randor sighed and shook his head slowly. "I still have so much to say and so much I want to do with you," he mumbled. He looked at his son and asked, "Can I have a word with you alone, Adam?" he gestured to the corner of the room.

He nodded and followed the king to location that he had pointed at. When they faced one another, Randor stated, "I wish I had a lot more time to show you instead of tell you how much you mean to me."

"Father, I already know…"

Randor squeezed his shoulder tightly and said firmly, "Let me say this, Adam. I need to if I'm ever going to make it through your absence."

Tears gathered in both their eyes at his words. It was making their upcoming separation seem all too real and even more depressing.

"It took me a while to notice you, Adam," he whispered sadly. "When you were younger, I used to know how remarkable you truly were, but somewhere along the way, I lost that knowledge. But I remember now…and by the Ancients, I promise I'll never forget it again."

Adam wiped at a few tears as they slipped down his face. The king just let his fall.

"I wanted more time with you to show you that I love you, son, and that I'm very, very proud of you." He gestured around the throne room and stated confidently, "We're all here because of you. You have protected this palace, our kingdom, and this planet…all while receiving no credit or appreciation for it. I wanted to change that."

"Father, you have changed it," he replied. "I know how you feel. I really do."

"You've brought this family together again in more ways than one," the king continued despite Adam's words. "You're the hero in this story, Adam. You always have been, and I was too blind to see it. For that, I'll never be able to express just how sorry I am. I hope that you'll forgive me one day."

Adam reached out to hug his father as he cried, "I already do. I never blamed you, not really. I know I said some awful things, but I didn't really mean them. I was just overwhelmed and frustrated. I've always loved you, Father, and I've always understood why you acted as you did. I've always known that you loved me. Never doubt that."

Randor wrapped his arms around his son tightly and cried silently. When they were both able to hold in their emotions again, they pulled away and looked at one another.

"I want you to be careful, Adam," his father commanded. "I want you to watch out for your sister and Teela. I need for all of you to come home safe and sound. I will accept no other outcome. Do you hear me, Adam? That's an order from your king." He smiled and continued, "I trust you don't mind this order."

He laughed softly. "Not at all, and it'll be as you wish, Your Majesty," he answered with a grin.

They hugged one more time and Randor asked, "If this takes a while, you will visit, won't you?"

He nodded. "All the time," he promised; "Or at least, as much as I can. You and no one else will be able to keep me away."

The king grinned as they headed back to the group. Adam could tell Teela had told her father the news and they were hugging one another off to the side. He raised a finger at his family and walked over to Teela and Duncan.

Man-at-Arms pulled away as Adam stepped beside his daughter. He reached out and hugged the prince, as well. "I want you to be careful."

He chuckled and replied, "Father said the exact same thing."

"Well, we mean it," he stated forcefully as he stepped back. "Also, if you need help, you ask for it. Don't let things pile up like you did before. I will be there in a heartbeat at any time, Adam, night or day."

He smiled. "I know, Duncan."

"And, I want you to take care of my daughter." He glanced at her and said, "And, I want you to take care of him!"

"Yes, sir," they both said simultaneously. Adam clasped Man-at-Arms' shoulder and said, "And, I have to say likewise, don't hesitate to call for me if you need any help. I know Skeletor being on Etheria and having his men currently locked up will stop a lot of the problems this planet suffers, but I know other things can pop up. There are other villains and disasters."

Duncan nodded and said, "I'll be sure to let you know."

Adam nodded and glanced at Teela. She nodded at him once and hugged her father one more time. "I'm going to miss you."

"And, I'm going to miss you."

Finally, Orko joined in and cried, "And, I'm going to miss all of you, too! Hey, wait a minute, can I come? I'll be a great help, I promise!"

Adam shook his head and said, "No, you're needed here, Little Buddy. I want you to keep an eye on things for me, okay?"

Orko nodded sadly. "Ah, I guess, Adam. Okay." He went to Adam, Teela, Cringer, and Adora individually to hug them and mutter soft goodbyes.

Adam then turned back to his parents, walked over to them, and stated, "Well, I guess this is it."

The Royal Family hugged one another all at once again. None of them could stop the tear flow this time, but they didn't really try. "I love you, my children," said Marlena. "I'll write and send it with the messengers we'll have going back and forth from time to time."

"And we'll write back," Adora assured her, glancing at her brother as he nodded.

"I love you both, too," Randor stated, grabbing the twins' attention. "And, I already can't wait until we're together again. Who knows? Maybe your mother and I will be able to get away some time to visit you."

They all smiled and Adam answered, "That would be nice." He looked from one parent to the other and said softly, "I love you, and I'll try to come home as quickly as possible. And, I'll try my best to make sure it's with Adora, too."

The king and queen nodded. "I have no doubt," the king replied.

"And, I love all of you, too," Adora chimed in.

They all hugged one last time and when they finally pulled away this time, Adam stated with attempted but failed humor, "Well, I suppose we should go. If we stay any longer, the apologies and declarations of love will just keep going indefinitely."

They all nodded and Adam continued calmly, "It's probably best if you stay here. It'll make it easier to step through the dimension gate at Castle Grayskull, I'm sure. We've already said our goodbyes, so there's no point in saying it again there."

Tears slipped down the king and queen's cheeks again as they nodded. Adam nodded and looked at Adora, Teela, and Cringer in their own turn. "Let's go, guys."

They all began to walk out of the throne room. Adam was the last one to reach the door and he turned back one last time. Tears slipped down his cheeks and he ran back into the room. He hugged both his parents one last time and said, "One for the road."

They all laughed sadly, and this time, with a deep breath, he strolled out the door and shut it. He knew if he looked back again, he'd cry and have to hug them again. Tears pooled in his eyes now, but at least he didn't have to look at theirs at the same time.

Teela and Adora each wrapped an arm around his waist. "Come on, brother," whispered Adora, moving them forward. Teela quickly removed her arm from his waist and slipped her hand into his as they walked to the AttakTrak together.

=)=)=)

They stood before the dimensional gate that led to Etheria. The Sorceress wiped a single tear from her cheek as she stated, "I will keep a close eye on Eternia, Adam. I will contact you at the slightest sign of trouble. I will keep an eye on all of you, as well."

Adam nodded and replied, "Thank you, Sorceress. That does make me feel a lot better about leaving. I worried that Father and Duncan might try to handle things on their own so that they wouldn't bother me."

"Never fear, Prince Adam," she replied; "You will be contacted when you are needed."

He nodded and looked at his sister then Teela. Everyone knew that meant it was time to go. "Goodbye, Sorceress," Adora said and Teela quickly repeated the words. Without saying anything more, the women, Cringer, and Spirit walked through the gate.

Adam stared at it and he laughed at himself as tears filled his eyes again. He looked to the Sorceress and asked, "Can you tell Father 'goodbye' one last time and let him know we got to Etheria safely?"

"Why don't you tell him?"

She waved her arm and said, "He can hear you."

"Father," he whispered softly.

"Adam?" Randor said aloud.

He could tell his father was startled and that he had jumped from where he had been sitting. Somehow Adam knew he had been sitting at a table writing something. He smiled and stated soothingly, "The Sorceress is letting me speak to you one last time. I just wanted to let you know that we made it to Castle Grayskull and that Adora and the others are already on Etheria. We're all okay." He paused as he got choked up. "I just wanted to say 'goodbye' one last time."

Tears gathered in his eyes as he picked up his bag from the floor and whispered, "Bye, Dad. I'll see you soon, I promise."

King Randor allowed his tears to fall again and replied, "Bye, son. I love you and I'm proud of you. Never forget that."

"I won't," he assured him, and as a few tears slipped down as his cheeks, he took a deep breath and stepped through the gate.

THE END…SORT OF.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so here's one of my announcements that you can probably already guess: yes, there will be a sequel. I thought I needed to end "Noticing Adam" here, because this was a Prince Adam & King Randor story. The story was all about everyone, especially Randor, learning to notice Adam. Obviously, that has occurred, so it's time to end it. Now, my focus will be shifting to a new plotline which will be picking up where this story left off.
> 
> If this story does not get too far down on the webpage, I'll post something here to let you know when the first chapter of the new story is posted. I'm not sure if I'll jump into it or finish one of my other stories first. I suppose it will depend on my inspiration really and wherever it wants to write. If this story does get too far down on the list, I'll make the announcement on one of my other stories. I truly hope some of you join me for that story, as well. Will King Randor and the other Eternians be in the sequel, as well? YES, MOST DEFINITELY. I'm just throwing that out there, LOL.


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